Stranded Middle East-bound OFWs get help amid ongoing tension

MANILA – Government agencies extended assistance to stranded overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) bound for the Middle East following flight cancellations prompted by escalating tensions in the region.

In a social media post Monday, the DMW said its Migrant Workers Office in Hong Kong assisted 132 OFWs scheduled to depart for Riyadh and Dubai, after their flights were cancelled following missile attacks between the United States, Iran, and Israel.

A total of 57 Abu Dhabi-bound OFWs who were stranded at Hong Kong International Airport have returned to Manila early Monday.

The OFWs were given food and temporary accommodation while awaiting updates and alternative travel arrangements.

On Sunday, Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac, together with OWWA Chief Patricial Yvonne Caunan, visited the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminals 1 and 3 to check on stranded OFWs affected by flight cancellations.

“During their visit, the officials assessed the on-the-ground situation and ensured that stranded OFWs received necessary support, including temporary accommodation when needed. They also provided updates on developments in the Middle East and outlined government measures to protect the welfare of Filipinos in the region,” the DMW said.

Both Cacdac and Caunan assured the OFWs that the Philippine government is closely monitoring the situation in the affected areas.

The flight disruptions stemmed from renewed military tensions in parts of the Middle East, prompting heightened security measures and temporary airspace restrictions in several countries.

Several airlines have cancelled or rerouted flights to key Gulf destinations, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, as a precautionary response to the volatile security environment.

As of 2025, there are 2 million OFWs in the Middle East, data from the Department of Foreign Affairs show.

— Marita Moaje (PNA)