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Christine Boton - The Philippine Star
March 22, 2026 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — Around 800 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the Middle East remain in the repatriation pipeline as the fourth government chartered flight is scheduled to depart today from Saudi Arabia, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said Friday.
DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said the government continues to process the repatriation of Filipinos from multiple countries affected by ongoing regional tensions, even as logistical challenges persist due to restricted airspace and security concerns.
“More or less, we are still processing about 800 repatriation-ready. We are seeing that there are five countries that need to be repatriated. Land crossings are part of the challenge of repatriation because three of the five countries that I mentioned have closed airspace in Kuwait, Bahrain and Israel,” Cacdac said.
He added that Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) remain accessible but with limited flights, prompting authorities to coordinate land crossings for Filipinos exiting conflict-affected areas.
“In summary, repatriates from Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar are routed through Saudi, UAE flights go directly to the Philippines, Qatar has limited flights and Israel evacuees cross the Egyptian border to depart from Cairo,” Cacdac explained.
Three earlier repatriation flights by the Philippines have already brought home more than 1,400 Filipinos. The latest arrivals landed on Thursday from the UAE, carrying 319 passengers, after earlier flights transported 442 and 340 individuals, respectively.
In a separate update, the DMW said another group of Filipinos from Israel arrived yesterday evening.
The group consists of 26 people – 22 OFWs, one child and three tourists – who were safely escorted from Israel to the Taba Border on March 19.
Upon crossing into Egypt, they were assisted by embassy personnel in Cairo for immigration processing and provided temporary accommodation and other support while awaiting their flights home.
The DMW also reported that at least 12,000 OFWs in affected areas have received on-site assistance, including food, water, temporary shelter and transport services. The agency also continues to offer psychosocial support to workers experiencing trauma due to ongoing hostilities.
Cacdac also confirmed that four Filipinos are currently under detention in the UAE for alleged violations related to posting content online, with the government extending legal assistance and welfare support.
“We will continue to work on the situation together with (UAE) Ambassador Alfonso Ver. It’s clear under the joint forces between the DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) and DMW that we will provide number one, as ordered by the President, legal assistance, and number two, welfare checks in the detention center,” he said, adding that an Emirati lawyer has been engaged to handle the case.
The DMW chief also urged OFWs to comply with the laws and regulations of their host countries, particularly amid heightened security conditions.
Despite recent attacks on energy facilities in parts of the Middle East, Cacdac said Filipino workers in those areas remain safe, with companies implementing strict safety and evacuation protocols.
The government has also maintained its hotline services and free call program to help OFWs communicate with their families, with authorities operating on a 24/7 basis as the situation develops.
Cacdac said additional chartered flights are being arranged in the coming days as part of sustained repatriation efforts.
