Government agencies involved in migrant worker welfare have moved to correct social media posts suggesting the Philippine government played no role in bringing home Filipinos stranded in the United Arab Emirates amid the ongoing Middle East conflict.
The Department of Migrant Workers said the assistance provided by UAE authorities to displaced Filipinos was part of that country’s broader effort to protect all individuals within its borders — not evidence that Manila had been absent from the process.
The clarification came after online posts circulated claiming the UAE was the sole entity responsible for helping OFWs get home.
DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration Administrator Py Caunan confirmed that 90 OFWs were aboard Emirates flight EK334 along with other Filipino nationals, with 33 of those passengers receiving direct government-backed support for their return.
The department stressed that its involvement extends well beyond arranging flights. Pre-repatriation services, post-arrival assistance, and other forms of continuing support for affected Filipinos are all part of the government’s response, according to the DMW.
Around 400 OFWs and their dependents have been brought back to the Philippines since repatriation efforts began on March 5, with batches arriving on successive days as limited flight windows opened through Dubai’s restricted airspace. Airspace closures and airport restrictions across the Gulf remain the primary logistical obstacle, and the DMW has identified overland exit routes as contingency options for workers in countries where commercial flights remain unavailable.
