The Philippine government is accelerating efforts to bring home its nationals from the Middle East, with about 2,500 overseas Filipino workers expected to return in the coming days, officials said Monday.
Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said 342 workers and their dependents arrived in Manila on the government’s ninth chartered flight, bringing the total number of repatriated Filipinos to more than 5,400.
“We have 342 on board. So this brings us to a total of 5,400 OFWs and their dependents and counting,” Cacdac told reporters.
Additional flights are scheduled, including one carrying 150 workers from Bahrain and another with more than 300 from Kuwait, where earlier airspace restrictions had slowed repatriation operations. Authorities said Kuwait’s airport is reopening, allowing a full planeload of Filipinos to depart.
The government is also arranging the return of the remains of 16 Filipino workers who died of natural causes. Their transport had been delayed due to logistical challenges during temporary airspace closures, Cacdac said.
Despite the disruptions, the Department of Migrant Workers said it remains committed to assisting both distressed workers and the families of those who died abroad.
“Rest assured, we will be on top of the situation,” Cacdac said.
Officials said repatriation efforts could soon shift to commercial flights if conditions in the region improve, particularly if a ceasefire holds.
The stepped-up operations come as tensions in the Middle East have heightened following strikes by the United States and Israel on Iran on Feb. 28, prompting safety concerns among Filipino workers in several countries.
Among those who returned were Jun Celestial and Alice Pinero, who cited job losses and growing fears over the security situation.
Pinero, who worked as an administrative staff member at a school in Dubai for two years, said the sound of explosions — even when intercepted by air defenses — created anxiety.
“Even if they say it was intercepted, it’s still scary. You can’t help but be afraid,” she said, adding that she plans to stay in the Philippines with her family rather than seek work abroad again.
Celestial, from Rizal province, said job opportunities across Gulf countries had dwindled sharply.
“In my line of work, there could be jobs in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman — but in nearby places, there’s really nothing,” he said.
Both workers expressed gratitude to the government for facilitating their return.
Authorities said financial assistance is being extended to repatriated workers, including aid at overseas posts and support upon arrival in the Philippines.
