Manila, July 10 -- The remains of 49 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who died in Saudi Arabia arrived in the country on Friday morning, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said.
Almost half of them died of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
In a statement released on Friday, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III apologized for the delay in the repatriation of the OFWs' bodies.
"We sincerely apologize for the much-delayed homecoming owing to the lockdowns and strenuous processes that we have to undergo for their return," Bello said. "The added anxiety to the families caused by the suspended homeward journey is certainly undeserved."
Of the 49 OFWs, 32 were from Dammam, while 17 were from Riyadh.
The DOLE is set to repatri...