Funding support and emergency mechanisms are being lined up by the Department of Migrant Workers as it braces for possible large-scale evacuations from conflict zones in the Middle East.
DMW Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac said Thursday the agency has already put in place designated meeting points, exit routes, and fly-out arrangements for workers being pulled out of affected areas. The preparations cover a four-level alert system tied to the intensity of hostilities on the ground.
“But at every stage of conflict, there are alert levels from 1 to 4, and we are prepared for any eventuality. At present, we have already been implementing meeting points, exit points, and fly-out arrangements for more than 7,000 repatriates. We stand ready should the situation escalate, but we remain hopeful it will not,” Cacdac said.
A total of 7,400 OFWs and their dependents had been brought home from conflict-affected areas as of April 23, with the DMW continuing to monitor developments that could trigger further evacuations.
The agency has secured additional funding from the Department of Budget and Management to keep its repatriation and reintegration programs running. Separately, the DMW is working with Congress on measures that would create dedicated emergency funding mechanisms for OFWs and their families during crises.
