The Philippine government’s repatriation operation for Filipinos caught in the ongoing Middle East conflict has crossed the 10,000 mark, with the Department of Migrant Workers reporting that 10,012 overseas Filipino workers, dependents, and stranded nationals have been brought home as of May 22, 2026.
DMW Secretary Hans Cacdac announced the milestone in a social media post, saying, “We have reached the 10,000 mark for repatriated OFWs from the Middle East.”
Kuwait accounted for the largest share of returnees at 2,827, followed by Dubai with 2,656 and Abu Dhabi with 1,420. Other repatriates came from Bahrain (946), Qatar (938), Jeddah (74), Al Khobar in Saudi Arabia (133), and Oman (35).
Of the total figure, 7,892 were OFWs, 1,758 were their dependents, and 362 were Filipino tourists. Beyond airlifts, the DMW and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration have delivered an extensive range of on-the-ground services. Government data shows that food assistance was extended to 23,314 individuals, while transport support reached 7,666, shelter assistance covered 2,491, and 2,425 received medical aid. Across all service categories, a combined total of 67,052 onsite assistance interventions have been recorded.
Financial aid has also been a major component of the response. Under directives from President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., some 31,156 individuals have received cash assistance and other emergency support.
OWWA Administrator Patricia Yvonne Caunan has said the agency is expanding reintegration services for returning workers, including the Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program, TESDA onsite assessments, and scholarship opportunities through partner agencies.
The government has faced pressure on its repatriation budget, with DMW and OWWA having requested an additional P22 billion in April to sustain operations in a worst-case scenario where regional tensions escalate further. As of that time, the Department of Budget and Management had yet to act on the request.
