THE Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) on Thursday announced a whole-of-government response, which was mobilized to aid overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) caught in escalating tensions in the Middle East.
In a press briefing that was also streamed on the agency’s Facebook page, DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said the new National Reintegration Network (NRN) for OFWs and their families, which consists of multiple government agencies, was mobilized for “comprehensive reintegration support to OFWs who have availed themselves of the government’s voluntary repatriation program.”
“The President [Ferdinand Marcos Jr.] has given a directive to start mobilizing our resources to start repatriation of Filipino nationals, of OFWs, in partnership with DFA. We are here to provide all the necessary assistance and support to our OFWs who want to come home for their safety and security,” Cacdac said.
DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac. PHOTO BY J. GERARD SEGUIA
The DMW clarified that while it was still on a voluntary repatriation mode, Cacdac reiterated his call to OFWs to avail of the repatriation services set by the national government.
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He added that around 178 OFWs in Israel requested for repatriation, with 28 “travel-ready,” while there was also an ongoing effort in Iran to assist 14 OFWs, along with three in Jordan, one in Iraq, and another who crossed from Iraq to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
The DMW also said that 48 OFWs stranded in Dubai International Airport were assisted and returned home earlier this week, and were also given financial assistance from the agency and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) upon arrival in Manila. However, 10 more are still in Abu Dhabi, with four expected to come home.
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“OFWs that will avail of the repatriation program of the government will be given financial assistance under Aksyon Fund worth P75,000 each and another P75,000 from OWWA Emergency Repatriation Fund, to mitigate their loss of income and livelihood,” the DMW said in a statement.
“Other members of NRN are set to give other forms of assistance, including skills training voucher from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), business opportunities from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), medical assistance from the Department of Health (DOH), and other assistance from the Department of Agriculture, Department of Social Welfare and Development, and Department of Science and Technology,” they added.
Cacdac said the DMW and the OWWA were on the lookout for Filipinos who were displaced or lost their homes, as reported by the Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv, Israel and that the government was looking at six areas hit by missile attacks — Rehovot, Benie Brak and Yehuda, and three more areas in Israel.
He added that despite some OFWs losing their homes, they may not be totally homeless, as some were residing with their employers or at friends’ houses, and hostels operated by the DMW in North Tel Aviv, Rehovot, and one that is operated by the Migrant Workers Office in Tel Aviv.
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OWWA Administrator Patricia Yvonne Caunan said that some of their personnel were on the ground and would be augmented by more staff from the DMW and the OWWA.
“This is the hour to make ourselves available to our people,” Cacdac said.
He and Assistant Secretary Venecio Legaspi of the DMW’s Land Based OFW Concerns are headed to Beirut, Lebanon and to Amman, Jordan to lead the ongoing efforts for OFWs affected by the Middle East crisis.
Meanwhile, the DMW encouraged private recruitment agencies (PRAs) to delay the deployment of Filipino workers to countries in the Middle East affected by the ongoing conflict.
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On Thursday, the DMW issued Advisory 19 s. 2025, that restricted the deployment of OFWs to Israel, Iran, Jordan, and Lebanon.
Lebanon is under Alert Level 3, which prohibits deployment of both new hires and returning OFWs, while Israel is under Alert Level 2, which meant that “only returning workers with valid contracts are allowed — but currently cannot proceed due to airspace closures amid the ongoing tensions in the region.”
“Right now, we’re on Alert Level 2 in Israel, which means new hires are prohibited but returning OFWs are allowed.
However, due to the airspace restrictions, it is impossible for them to go, including to those bound for Jordan because they will just be turned back case of the closure of the airspace,” Cacdac said.
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“When we speak in a regulatory sense, then they have to comply. Any agency that continues deployment despite the directive will face penalties,” he added. “And yes, we will seek reimbursement for the cost of travel should we incur the expenses for their repatriation.”
The DMW’s advisory mandated PRAs to:
* Maintain active communication with employers and foreign partners to verify the location and safety of deployed workers;
* Conduct regular welfare checks and submit updated reports through the OFW Welfare Monitoring System;
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* Develop contingency plans covering evacuation and emergency repatriation;
* Shoulder costs of rerouting or rebooking flights for OFWs affected by airspace closures; and
* Refrain from processing deployments to Jordan and Israel until clearance is issued.
In addition, the agency met with the Philippine Association of Manpower Agencies for Jordan and the Foreign Recruitment Agency in Jordan to explain the current situation and to ensure that everyone complies.
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“We have explained to the Jordanian employers the current situation and the limitations in deploying our OFWs, and they are willing to wait and assist all our stranded OFWs,” DMW Undersecretary Bernard Olalia said.
As of Thursday, a total of 58 OFWs who are stranded, which are 43 bound for Israel and 15 for Jordan, were assisted by the DMW’s Migrant Workers Offices in the UAE for repatriation and that the agency closely coordinated with embassies and the Migrant Workers Offices to ensure the welfare of those caught in transit in the affected Middle Eastern countries.
