The Philippine government has begun repatriating overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from several countries in the Middle East as tensions in the region continue to rise, Malacañang announced Monday (New York time).
Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has arranged chartered flights to assist Filipinos who wish to return home to the Philippines.
According to Castro, a group of 16 OFWs from Tel Aviv, Israel, traveled by land to the southern Israeli city of Eilat, which borders Egypt through the Taba border crossing. After crossing into Egypt, the workers will take a flight route from Cairo to Muscat and then to Manila. Their expected time of arrival in Manila is 9:30 p.m. on March 11, Philippine time.
Meanwhile, another group consisting of 20 OFWs and nine dependents from Dubai traveled to Oman through the Khatmat-Malaha border crossing in northern Oman. From there, they proceeded to Muscat to board a flight bound for Manila, scheduled to arrive at 9:30 p.m. on March 10.
In addition to the chartered flights, the Philippine government has also secured commercial flights for Filipino workers and their families departing from Dubai through Emirates Airlines.
For Filipinos currently in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the DMW is coordinating repatriation flights, with the earliest scheduled departure set for March 14, 2026.
The repatriation operations are being funded through the Emergency Repatriation Fund of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), an attached agency of the DMW.
Government officials reported that more than 400 Filipinos have already returned to the Philippines since the conflict in the Middle East began.
Castro emphasized that the government continues to prioritize the safety and welfare of Filipinos abroad as the situation in the region remains uncertain.
Source PCO
