SONA 2026: Marcos vows continued support for OFWs amid Middle East conflict

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Monday said that the Philippine government will continuously support overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) affected by the ongoing tensions in the Middle East.

In his fifth State of the Nation Address, Marcos said that since the Middle East crisis escalated earlier this year, the government has repatriated more than 12,000 OFWs and provided various forms of assistance—such as food, financial aid, medical care, and shelter—to over 140,000 OFWs.

“Mahalagang misyon ito ng pamahalaan gayong lagpas dalawa’t kalahating milyong Pilipino ang naghahanapbuhay sa Middle East,” he said.

(This is a crucial mission for the government, given that more than two and a half million Filipinos are working in the Middle East.)

“Patuloy ang ating ugnayan sa iba’t ibang bansa at ang suporta natin sa mga OFW para sa kanilang kaligtasan, lalo na at may mga kababayan tayong nasawi o nawawala sa Middle East,” he added.

(We continue our coordination with other countries and our support for OFWs to ensure their safety, especially given that some of our fellow Filipinos have died or gone missing in the Middle East.)

Marcos said that returning OFWs were given assistance to restart their livelihoods through the AKSYON Fund and the OWWA-Kabuhayan program.

They were also linked to the Public Employment Service Office (PESO) or the Bayanihan para sa Balikbayang Manggagawa job fairs.

He said that returning OFW teachers will also be redirected to the public schools in the country.

“Bukod pa sa kanila, ang mga magbabalik nating mga gurong OFW ay papasok na sa mga public schools kung saan sila’y higit na kinakailangan. Dahil dito sa Pilipinas, sila ang mga Ma’am at Sir,” the President said.

(Aside from them, our returning OFW teachers will be entering public schools where they are needed the most. Because in the Philippines, they are the Ma’ams and Sirs.) — BM, GMA News