The Philippine government may need to allocate additional funds to support the possible repatriation of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from the Middle East if the ongoing conflict in the region worsens, officials said during a Senate hearing on Friday.
Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac explained that the government’s current budget can still support the existing number of repatriation requests. However, he warned that in a worst-case scenario where more Filipino workers request to return home, supplemental funding would be required.
“We can live with the current budget with the current level of repatriation requests. However, in a worst-case scenario, we would need supplemental funding,” Cacdac told lawmakers.
Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Administrator Patricia Yvonne Caunan revealed that the government’s Emergency Repatriation Fund (ERF) currently stands at around ₱1.5 billion after some funds were already utilized earlier this year.
According to simulations conducted by OWWA, a mass evacuation of OFWs from the Middle East could cost as much as ₱3.67 billion if the situation in the region escalates further.
Caunan explained that repatriating one OFW costs approximately ₱150,000. This amount covers transportation, welfare assistance, and other logistical needs until the worker safely arrives home in the Philippines.
With an estimated 2.4 million Filipinos working across the Middle East, even a small percentage requesting repatriation could significantly impact the government’s resources. If just one percent of OFWs in the region seek assistance to return home, that would amount to about 24,000 individuals.
Such a scenario could create a funding gap of roughly ₱2.2 billion beyond the current allocation of the Emergency Repatriation Fund.
Government officials said they are now studying possible sources of additional funding, including the national government’s contingency fund and potential savings from other agencies. Discussions with the Department of Budget and Management are also ongoing to ensure the government is prepared should the need for large-scale repatriation arise.
Authorities continue to monitor the situation in the Middle East while assuring OFWs that assistance will be provided if conditions require evacuation or repatriation.
Source PNA
