Marcos adds P3 billion for OFWs displaced in Middle East

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered the release of an additional P3 billion to strengthen the Department of Migrant Workers’ (DMW) repatriation and reintegration program for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) displaced by the conflict in the Middle East.

The fund augmentation will cover the entire repatriation process—from predeparture assistance and flights to reintegration support—according to Executive Secretary Ralph Recto.

READ: Marcos allots P3B more for OFW repatriation from Middle East

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“War or not, there are Filipinos in extreme distress that we should bring home,” Recto said in a statement on Sunday.

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Latest data from the Office of the Executive Secretary (OES) showed that 10,446 Filipinos have been safely repatriated from the Middle East through DMW-organized humanitarian flights. They include 8,281 OFWs, 1,803 dependents, and 362 stranded citizens.

There are an estimated 2.5 million Filipinos in that region, according to government data.

Evacuation challenge

“These flights became medevacs (medical evacuations) for sick Filipinos as well. The DMW, through the brilliant leadership of Secretary Hans Cacdac, brought medical personnel on board to care for them,” Recto said, adding that Mr. Marcos approved the additional funding ‘because he [did] not want repatriation to be a mere airport-to-airport thing.”

“The President’s order is that OFWs should not be left on their own after they return. Assistance must reach communities with urgent needs and, above all, provide economic opportunities for repatriated workers,” Recto said.

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The OES did not specify where the P3 billion would be sourced from within the limited fiscal space of the 2026 national budget.

During a Senate committee hearing in March, Cacdac said the government would need P13 billion to evacuate all Filipinos living in areas directly affected by the fighting in the Middle East.

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As of March, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (Owwa) had P1.5 billion remaining in its Emergency Repatriation Fund, enough to cover the return of only about 10,000 Filipinos. Before the crisis, repatriation costs averaged P135,000 to P140,000 per person.

The DMW can also tap P2 billion under its Aksyon (Agarang Kalinga at Saklolo para sa mga OFW na Nangangailangan) Fund in the 2026 budget to provide legal, medical and financial assistance to distressed OFWs and their families.

‘Brain gain’

As Israel continues to pound Hezbollah strongholds in Lebanon, the United States and Iran were expected to hold a new round of talks in Geneva on Sunday after Tehran again closed the Strait of Hormuz. (See related story in World, Page A7.)

Hormuz, a critical route for global oil and gas shipments, was blockaded by Iran for much of the conflict that began on Feb. 28, disrupting energy markets and prompting the repatriation of OFWs across the Middle East.

Upon arrival in the Philippines, returning OFWs may access a standard assistance package that includes financial aid, psychosocial counseling, medical assessments, reemployment guidance and livelihood support.

“By tapping the skills of the OFWs honed by their work abroad, society benefits as well. This is a kind of technology transfer that helps the economy. This is the brain gain we need,” Recto said.

To speed up reintegration, the DMW has conducted 15 Bayanihan Para sa Balikbayang Manggagawa National Reintegration Network and Job Fairs nationwide. The one-stop-shop events connect returning workers to local and overseas employment opportunities, livelihood programs and financial literacy services.

Meanwhile, Owwa’s Balik Pinas, Balik Hanapbuhay Program has provided livelihood assistance to 664 recently returned OFWs. Eligible beneficiaries may receive up to P20,000 in startup capital for small businesses.

For returning Philippine-licensed teachers, the Department of Education (DepEd) has established a hiring pathway that allows them to join the public school system.

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DepEd data show that about 10,000 former OFWs have entered the public teaching workforce through the Sa Pinas, Ikaw ang Ma’am at Sir program. INQ