18 OFWs arrive in PH from Middle East

Eighteen overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who were affected by the rising tensions in the Middle East were repatriated to the Philippines on Monday, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said. 

The OFWs arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 around 9:30 a.m., according to the DMW. 

They were supposedly bound for Tel Aviv, Israel and Amman, Jordan but were stranded in Dubai due to the temporary shutdown of major airports amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. 

The DMW said that its migrant workers office in Dubai provided airport assistance and food to the affected OFWs prior to boarding Philippine Airlines flight PR 659 in Dubai on Sunday, June 15.

They were also given financial support through the DMW Aksyon Fund and other necessary assistance by the Philippine government, as directed by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. 

“President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. gave clear directives to help our Kababayans, our OFWs, who are affected by the ongoing tensions in the Middle East. We stand continually ready to assist and support our OFWs who wish to go home for safety and security,” DMW Secretary Hans Cacdac said in a statement. 

The Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv earlier confirmed that at least four Filipinos have been injured in Iran’s retaliatory airstrikes on Israel. 

The DMW has placed all of its offices across the Middle East on heightened alert amid the conflict. With this, all labor attachés and staff in the region are on 24/7 duty, with leaves canceled and hotlines fully operational round-the-clock.

OFWs and OFW families can contact DMW-OWWA at the following numbers if they need assistance or information:

DMW-OWWA Help Desk: 1348

For those abroad: +63 2 1348

— RSJ, GMA Integrated News