Over 1,800 OFWs Assisted, Repatriation Plans Intensify Amid Middle East Conflict; Thousands Stranded by Airspace Closure
The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) have provided on-site assistance to 1,824 OFWs affected by the escalating Middle East conflict, with 1,189 specifically requesting repatriation. Authorities are intensifying efforts to arrange more repatriation flights as thousands of Filipino citizens remain stranded due to widespread airspace closures.
The Philippine government has provided assistance to 1,824 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) affected by the escalating Middle East conflict, with the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) coordinating on-site support. According to official reports, 1,189 OFWs have formally requested repatriation from various Middle Eastern countries, including 278 from Iraq, 62 from Israel, 246 from Abu Dhabi, 173 from Qatar, and 5 from Lebanon. The government has arranged 297 accommodations for stranded workers, provided 171 land transportation arrangements, and issued 134 domestic flight tickets for workers arriving in Manila to reach their home provinces.
The conflict escalated dramatically in late February 2026 after US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran's military assets, prompting Iranian missile strikes on US bases across Iraq, UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. This has led to widespread airspace closures, with airports in Dubai and UAE either closed or partially reopened, resulting in the cancellation or rerouting of 45 flights to and from the Philippines since February 28, 2026. Thousands of Filipino citizens remain stranded due to these airspace restrictions.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has stated that there are currently no orders for mass repatriation of the more than 2 million Filipinos in the Middle East, emphasizing that the region's skies are designated as no-fly zones and constitute a combat zone, making large-scale air evacuations hazardous. However, the government is preparing comprehensive evacuation plans involving land, sea, and air options, including potential deployment of C-130 aircraft from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, in coordination with embassies and private firms.
The Department of Foreign Affairs has implemented a tiered alert system, with Alert Level 4 (mandatory evacuation) currently in effect only for Gaza, Syria, and Yemen. Iraq and Lebanon are at Alert Level 3 (voluntary repatriation), while UAE, Israel, Iran, and other countries remain at lower alert levels. DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac has emphasized the government's full preparedness for escalation, with potential deployment bans under consideration for higher alert levels. The conflict poses significant economic risks to the Philippines, as OFW remittances from the Middle East comprised 7.3% of GDP in 2025, representing a 25-year low but still a vital economic lifeline.
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