Zamboanga City-The human remains of the late overseas Filipino worker (OFW) Diana May Vender Latasan from Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia arrived in Zamboanga City Tuesday morning.

OFW Latasan passed away on February 3, 2016 at the Prince Mutaib Ibin Abdulaziz Hospital, Sakaka, Al Jouf, KSA. The family was informed that Latasan was operated on due to "kidney failure". Upon coordination with POLO-OWWA Riyadh, Welfare Officer Orland Levi Nadora confirmed that Latasan underwent Appendectomy, had relapsed, diagnosed with severe meningitis and eventually went comatose. The OFW's mother, Mrs. Judith Latasan immediately came to the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration-Regional Welfare Office IX (OWWA RWO-IX) to seek assistance for the immediate repatriation of her daughter's remains.

Latasan's family was assisted by OWWA9Programs and Services Head Angeles Engalla, DFA Consular OIC Mashur Kunting and the LGU of Malanggas who provided an owner type jeep to transport the remains from the airport to Candiis, Malanggas, Zamboanga Sibugay Province.

Upon verification, Latasan was found to have valid OWWA Membership until her time of death hence her bereaved family can avail of the death benefits from OWWA in the amount of one hundred thousand pesos (PhP100, 000.00) and burial assistance of twenty thousand pesos (Php 20,000.00) which is in addition to the educational assistance for one of the OFW's children and livelihood assistance for the husband.

OWWA Region 9 Director Hassan Gabra T. Jumdain assured the family that the agency will facilitate the immediate release of the benefits.

Karen Grafia