MANILA, Philippines -- The bodies of three Filipina overseas workers who died in Beirut, Lebanon have been flown home to the Philippines.

Lucy Bombales, Juvelyn Concon and Mary Ann Davatos were among the 27 people who died after an old building in Beirut collapsed last January 15. Their remains were sent home to the Philippines this weekend.

Bombales was the first to be flown home Friday evening, awaited by her family in Manila Saturday 3:30 pm. The bodies of Concon and Davatos were flown to Manila Saturday and are expected to reach their families in the province on Monday.

According to the victims' employers and the Philippine Embassy in Beirut, repatriation of the bodies was delayed due to numerous required documentation, including police reports, medical reports and insurance, which still had to be translated to English.

Although relieved and thankful that the Filipinas are now home, their employers in Lebanon feel a keen sense of loss.

Bombales had been working for the Samaha family the past five years in order to support her three children in the Philippines.

Venise Samaha said Bombales talked about her children all the time. "Your mother came to Lebanon for work, for you to go to school and university," she said, adding that Bombales, Concon and Davatos were "very nice girls."

Concon, for her part, was ready to go home for good after ten years with her employers. She had already started packing for her departure in March.

Liezel Dimas, a friend of Concon from God's Divine Love International Ministry Church, said the OFW intended to become a missionary.

"She wanted to go to school and to learn more about the Word of God, and go and preach in every place she wanted," Dimas said.

Concon was a pastor, while Bombales and Davatos were members of God' Divine Love International Ministry, a church which used to hold services on the third floor of the collapsed building. -- Report from Rhyse Furio, ABS-CBN News.