At least 100 Filipinos in Dubai have expressed their intention to return to the Philippines as tensions escalate in the Middle East, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said Monday.
DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said that while repatriation flights cannot yet proceed due to the continued closure of Dubai’s airspace, the government has already moved those seeking evacuation to safer areas.
“Those who requested repatriation have been transported to safer ground,” Cacdac said during a Palace briefing.
In the meantime, the DMW is providing food, water, and other essential supplies to affected Filipinos while waiting for exit points to open or for airport operations to resume. Authorities are also coordinating with host governments to ensure that once travel restrictions are lifted, repatriation can be carried out smoothly.
Despite the growing tensions, Cacdac clarified that there is no mass repatriation in the Middle East at this time. However, the government is fully prepared should the situation worsen, with contingency plans that include possible evacuation by air, sea, or land using both public and private sector resources.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) earlier reported that approximately 2.5 million Filipinos are based in the Middle East, most of them in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, while around 800 are in Iran.
The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) has placed the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, and Israel under Alert Level 2, which automatically triggers a deployment ban for newly hired overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). Lebanon is under Alert Level 3, allowing voluntary repatriation, while Jordan remains at Alert Level 1.
Under Alert Level 2, Filipinos are advised to restrict non-essential movements, avoid protests and large gatherings, and prepare for possible evacuation. Mandatory repatriation will only be implemented if Alert Level 4 is declared.
Meanwhile, the DMW is also assisting the family of Filipina caregiver Mary Ann Velasquez De Vera, who was killed in an Iranian airstrike in Tel Aviv. The government will provide financial and burial assistance and facilitate the repatriation of her remains.
Malacañang said President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is closely monitoring developments and has directed concerned agencies to extend all necessary assistance to Filipinos affected by the conflict.
