In the ten days between March 5 and March 14, the Philippine government facilitated the return of 1,315 overseas Filipino workers and their family members caught in the crossfire of the Middle East conflict — a count that includes both stranded workers and those covered under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s Bagong Pilipinas Repatriation Program.
Of the total, 1,022 were OFWs and 293 were dependents.
DMW Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac said the government is prioritizing workers located in high-risk zones, those with medical conditions, and others with pressing humanitarian concerns as it works to move people out safely.
Acting under a directive from President Marcos, the DMW has kept inter-agency coordination running continuously, with services spanning airport assistance, financial aid, and both repatriation and reintegration support to help returning workers get back on their feet.
The latest figures come as the government continues arranging additional charter flights to cover OFWs still awaiting their turn. Airspace closures and airport restrictions across several Gulf states remain an active constraint on the pace of operations, with land border crossings increasingly being used to move workers toward departure points.
