Labor advocates are calling on the Philippine government to ramp up its support for repatriated overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) as tensions escalate between Israel and Iran, triggering a wave of Filipinos returning home.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) recently raised Alert Level 3 in both countries, urging voluntary repatriation due to the intensifying conflict. As of June 21, at least 223 repatriation requests from Filipinos in Israel had been received, with 26 already confirmed, according to the Philippine Embassy.
Federation of Free Workers (FFW) President Jose G. Matula emphasized that the government’s role should go beyond ensuring safe return. “Beyond safe repatriation, the challenge lies in ensuring that our returning OFWs are not forgotten the moment they step foot on Philippine soil,” he said in a Business World report.
Matula noted that many returnees are left with little more than one-time aid and no sustainable path forward. He called the current reintegration efforts “fragmented” and largely “Manila-centric,” excluding many OFWs from the provinces. He pushed for more accessible reintegration centers in rural areas, as well as free skills training and enterprise support to help returnees rebuild their lives.
Echoing this sentiment, UP Diliman labor expert Benjamin Velasco urged the government to release reintegration funds, particularly for those affected by the Israel-Iran crisis. “The (Overseas Workers Welfare Administration) has funds for reintegration of migrants with additional government assistance in cases such as the current emergency,” he said.
Velasco also stressed the importance of evaluating the effectiveness of OFW livelihood programs and called on the Philippines to take a more active role in pushing for peace. “It is in our national interest to have peace not war, especially in the Middle East. This is strategically what will help OFWs, more than repatriation,” he added.
The government has yet to declare a mandatory evacuation of Filipinos in either Israel or Iran. Current estimates show over 30,000 Filipinos reside in Israel, while more than 1,000 are in Iran.
