Photo courtesy: DMW/Facebook
A total of 125 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and their dependents safely returned to the Philippines on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, amid ongoing tensions in parts of the Middle East.
In a Facebook post, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said the repatriated Filipinos returned home through five separate flights.
On March 15, DMW also facilitated the safe return of more than 300 Filipino from UAE.
Repatriation efforts are being carried out through three primary methods: commercial flights, chartered flights, and land border crossings, according to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).
The agency explained that the mode of transport depends on the prevailing conditions in the host country, including airspace restrictions and the availability of outbound flights.
Upon arrival, the repatriates were provided with immediate assistance, including transportation and hotel accommodation for those traveling to their respective provinces.
The repatriation comes amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East, where thousands of flights have been disrupted and passengers stranded following a wave of military exchanges between the United States-Israel, and Iran.
The crisis escalated after U.S. and Israeli forces launched missile strikes on Iranian targets, prompting retaliatory attacks from Tehran across the region. The hostilities, which began in late February, have led to widespread airspace closures in several countries, significantly affecting international air travel and leaving thousands of travelers stranded.
