The Philippine government is offering free plane tickets for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who wish to return to the country amid the tension between Russia and the Ukraine.

During the ''Laging Handa '' virtual public briefing Overseas Workers Welfare Administration head Hans Leo Cacdac said so far five returned Friday night and two who accepted the Department of Foreign Affairs' officer of free plane tickets.

''We expect that there were others who will also decide to go home and we will welcome them and give them assistance," he added.

Around 380 Filipinos are living in the Ukraine. Most of them are in Kyiv, the capital.

"We have not yet reached the mass repatriation level, '' said Cacdac. '' For now, repatriation is still voluntary and three plane tickets were offered to our OFWs, we are expecting at least two will be repatriated," he said.

Cacdac said what is being done is ''in-country relocation of OFWs.''

''Three batches of OFWs have been relocated to safer ground. I will not just say which country but they have been relocated to safer ground," he said. Robina Asido/DMS