Manila: A total of 4,608 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) have received various forms of assistance from the Philippine government amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, as reported by Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac. The aid comes in response to the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, impacting many OFWs in the region.
According to Philippines News Agency, Cacdac presented these details at a joint hearing of the House Committees on Overseas Workers Affairs and Foreign Affairs. The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) have been active in providing support, including temporary accommodation, financial aid, food, basic necessities, and psychosocial services. These efforts are taking place in conflict-affected areas and transit hubs such as Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Manchester, United Kingdom, and Ethiopia.
Cacdac noted that the assistance provided to each of the 4,600 OFWs could include multiple forms of support, such as temporary accommodation, repatriation, or food. The DMW is also working with the Department of Foreign Affairs to assist Filipinos in areas lacking Migrant Workers Offices (MWOs), including OFWs traveling as tourists when tensions rose.
In host countries like Bahrain, Israel, and Qatar, which have designated shelters during emergencies, Philippine officials are closely coordinating with these facilities to ensure the welfare of OFWs. The Philippine government also provides backup support, including temporary accommodation, food, water, and financial assistance, particularly for workers whose employment has been disrupted.
Cacdac revealed that at least 380 OFWs have requested repatriation from the region, and the government is preparing two chartered flights to assist those wishing to return home, as directed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. However, repatriation efforts face challenges due to limited airspace in several countries in the region.
To overcome these challenges, the DMW, OWWA, and the DFA are assisting OFWs in crossing borders over land. Teams have been pre-positioned at border crossings in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, and Israel, ready to facilitate the safe passage of OFWs.
For its part, OWWA has deployed rapid response teams to critical areas in the Middle East since early March and has released funds from the emergency repatriation fund. OWWA is also expanding its hotline operations and using the government's e-report platform to process assistance and repatriation requests. The emergency repatriation fund under the General Appropriations Act amounts to PHP1.2 billion, with nearly 20 percent utilized as operations continue.
