Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac reported that 106 Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) affected by canceled flights to the Middle East have received accommodation and transport assistance from the Department of Migrant Workers-Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (DMW-OWWA).
"Batay po sa direktiba ng Pangulo na paigtingin ang proteksyon at tulong sa mga mahal nating OFWs sa panahon ng krisis, mga 106 OFWs mula sa kanseladong Middle East flights ang nabigyan po ng accommodation at transport assistance ng DMW-OWWA," Cacdac said in a post on X on Sunday.
It can be recalled that several flights to and from Dubai have been canceled on Sunday, following the ongoing tensions in the Middle East.
In an earlier interview with DZRH, Cacdac assured that the agency is prepared to act to protect Filipino workers in the region, as monitoring of the situation continues.
"Nakipagpulong na tayo at may malinaw na direktiba na si PBBM na pagbibigay ng proteksyon ng ating OFW should be in full implementation kaya nakipagpulong na tayo sa mga ambassadors natin at DFA patungkol sa pagk-coordinate una ng contingency plan. Detalyado iyan, rest assured in terms of infantry, evacuation, rescue, sheltering in coordination with the host government," Cacdac said.
"Number 2, exit and repatriation in the event of situations gets worse kayat handa naman tayo, exit points both transports whether by land, sea or air," he added.
Meanwhile, no casualties among Filipinos in the affected areas have been reported, according to the DMW and confirmed by President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.
The DMW encouraged Filipinos to remain calm amid the ongoing tension, emphasizing that the government is taking measures to ensure their safety.
"It is a situation na hindi pangkaraniwan. It cause for alarm but not a cause for grave alarm in the sense na kailangan mag panic. We are sending the message to keep calm, huwag lumabas kung hindi naman kinakailangan," Cacdac said.
Philippine embassies in the Middle East are on full alert and have advised Filipinos in the region to avoid unnecessary travel in their host countries, following the bombing of Iran by Israel and the United States.
On Saturday, the US and Israel launched a “preemptive strike” on Iran, which responded with missile attacks on Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, and Kuwait—countries hosting US military bases.
