Philippine Government Readies OFW Evacuation Plan for Middle East

Photo courtesy of Philstar

The Philippine government is readying plans for the evacuation of Filipinos in the Middle East amid escalating tensions, though no mandatory repatriation is currently in place. Department of Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac confirmed that 100 Filipinos in Dubai have expressed a desire to return home as of now. This follows attacks involving Iran, the US, and Israel, which included a strike on a luxury hotel in Dubai and an incident at Dubai International Airport.

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The Middle East is home to approximately 2.2 million Filipino workers, spread across countries like Israel, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain. Cacdac assured that the government is prepared for large-scale repatriation with the necessary resources from both public and private sectors. He emphasized there are sufficient contingency funds, and coordination with national leaders is ongoing for potential additional financial support.

Current priorities include in-country assistance for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). Alert levels vary across the region, with Alerts 4 and 3 indicating mandatory and voluntary evacuations, respectively, in some countries. The UAE, despite recent events, remains without raised alert levels, but the airspace closure has prevented any immediate repatriation efforts.

During a Sunday emergency meeting, Senator Raffy Tulfo called for assurance on resource availability for air and sea evacuations if needed. The Armed Forces of the Philippines confirmed readiness with a C-130 aircraft for potential mass repatriation. Meanwhile, the government is also tracking Filipino tourists who might be stranded due to airspace closures.

The DMW is also handling the repatriation of Mary Anne Velazquez de Vera’s remains, a Filipina caregiver killed in Israel. Financial support will be provided to her family. Additionally, another OFW, injured in a drone attack at Kuwait International Airport, has been released from the hospital. Ambassador to Iran Robert Manalo has reported no casualties among the approximately 800 Filipinos residing in Iran.

The Philippine government is considering a deployment ban for newly hired workers under Alert Level 2 and an expanded ban under Alert Level 3, which covers all workers. These measures are contingent on further developments in regional tensions, reported Philstar.

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  Adapted by ASEAN Now · Philstar · 03 Mar 2026