MANILA — More than 7,600 overseas Filipino workers and their dependents have returned home since a military conflict erupted in the Middle East nearly two months ago, the Philippine government said Saturday, pledging to sustain repatriation efforts as the crisis continues to unfold across the region.
The Department of Migrant Workers said 7,674 OFWs and dependents had been repatriated since the conflict began, with 7,051 of those returns funded by the government. That figure includes 5,669 workers and 1,382 dependents.
“The government sustains its repatriation and reintegration program in accordance with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to ensure the welfare of OFWs and their reintegration upon return,” the agency said in a statement.
The crisis was triggered on Feb. 28, when Israel and the United States launched a joint military operation targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities and leadership. The conflict has since spread to neighboring Gulf states, raising alarm among governments with large migrant worker populations in the region.
Diplomatic efforts to end the fighting are underway. U.S. envoys traveled to Pakistan on Saturday to negotiate a peace plan with Iranian officials.
DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said the agency has already established meeting points, exit points, and fly-out arrangements for repatriates, and warned it stands ready to mount a large-scale evacuation should the situation deteriorate further.
“We are ensuring the safety and welfare of Filipinos in the region,” Cacdac said, adding that the department is also working with Congress on legislation to create emergency funding mechanisms to better support workers and their families during crises.
The Philippines is one of the world’s largest exporters of labor, with millions of citizens working across the Middle East in sectors ranging from domestic work to construction and healthcare.
