MANILA — Nearly 10,000 Filipino nationals have been brought home from the Middle East since tensions escalated in the region, the Philippine government said Thursday, as repatriation and relief efforts continue under a presidential directive for comprehensive support.
The Department of Migrant Workers said 9,854 Filipinos had been repatriated as of May 20, including 7,748 overseas Filipino workers, 1,745 of their family members, and 361 stranded nationals.
The agency said it is working alongside the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration and other government bodies to accelerate the safe return of affected citizens and ensure their reintegration upon arrival.
Beyond repatriation, the government has extended financial assistance to around 27,369 individuals as of May 19, the DMW said. Onsite services delivered in the region have reached 60,571 instances in total, encompassing 21,120 food assistance packages, 7,191 transport services, 2,473 shelter support cases, and 2,418 medical services.
The efforts are being carried out under orders from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who directed government agencies to provide full support to repatriated workers and their families.
The Philippines is one of the world’s largest exporters of overseas labor, with hundreds of thousands of workers concentrated in the Middle East. Government repatriation operations have been a recurring feature of regional crises, with the DMW typically serving as the lead coordinating agency.
