Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Plumes of smoke rise following reported explosions in Tehran on March 1, 2026. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader since 1989 and sworn enemy of the West, was killed in the opening salvo of a massive US and Israeli attack, sparking a new wave of retaliatory missile strikes from Tehran on March 1. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP)

Article (news)

Jervis Manahan

Jekki Pascual

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1772429313328AFP__20260301__99EU28E__v1__MidRes__IranIsraelUsConflict.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Plumes of smoke rise following reported explosions in Tehran on March 1, 2026. Atta Kenare, AFP" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Plumes of smoke rise following reported explosions in Tehran on March 1, 2026. <em>Atta Kenare, AFP</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA -- At least 80 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Dubai, UAE have expressed intent to be repatriated amidst the ongoing tensions in the Middle East, the Department of Migrant Workers said on Monday.</p><p>Sec. Hans Leo Cacdac said they are preparing for repatriation assistance, but this could not be done yet as the UAE airspace remains closed.</p><p>Cacdac said mandatory repatriation will be triggered once alert level is raised to 4. The United Arab Emirates is currently under alert level 2.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2026/3/2/israel-strikes-tehran-latest-developments-in-iran-war-0923">Israel strikes Tehran: Latest developments in Iran war</a></div><p>&quot;Bagama&#x27;t sarado ang airspace sa Dubai at ang airports, alam naman natin na inatake sa Dubai kaya&#x27;t mayroon din tayong paghahanda in terms of giving the 80 who need repatriation assistance, temporary basic needs assistance and shelters are also available as I&#x27;ve mentioned. And, then, at an appropriate time ay sila naman ay ililikas na patungo sa bansa,&quot; Cacdac said. </p><p>Cacdac said they are prioritizing in-country assistance for affected OFWs.</p><p>&quot;Ang basic needs assistance nakasentro sa mga nangangailangan – food, water, ano pa mang kailangan ng isang tao o pamilya sa mga lugar na nabanggit at mayroon tayong mga necessary funds, action fund and the OWWA funds are ready to provide the necessary basic needs assistance lalo na doon sa mga nawalan ng trabaho, nahinto ang trabaho o kahit ‘di kaya are in a distressful situation,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;Mayroon tayong transport services na nakalaan onsite para doon sa mga nais na—pinapalagay na sila&#x27;y nasa alanganing lugar at nais na lumipat sa ibang lugar, mayroon tayong mga shelters. Now, the shelters is a combination of the host country-provided shelters, tukoy din po iyan sa ilang mga bansang nabanggit at mayroon tayong sariling Migrant Workers Office o OWWA shelters onsite,&quot; he added.</p><p>Twenty OFWs are now in shelters in Dubai, Cacdac said.</p><p>He said there are also designated meeting points and relocation sites and identified exit points per country to facilitate easier movement once it is possible.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2026/3/2/trump-seeks-to-justify-iran-war-to-us-public-0759">READ: Trump seeks to justify Iran war to US public</a></div><p>&quot;Mayroong mga identified exit points doon sa mga nag-manifest na nais na nila ding umuwi, we are working out along with the DFA and the host countries iyong manner in which we will start moving people through these exit points,&quot; Cacdac said.</p><p>Cacdac said that while mandatory repatriation will only happen on Alert Level 4, raising alert level 2 automatically triggers a deployment ban to the affected country.</p><p>OWWA Administrator Patricia Yvonne Caunan said they have also helped stranded OFWs in airports in Manila, Clark, as well as in Hong Kong and Singapore.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>-- DSWD ready to help repatriated OFWs from Middle East -- </strong></div><p>Meanwhile, the Department of Social Welfare and Development said it is ready to assist Overseas Filipino Workers affected by the conflict in the Middle East.</p><p>DSWD Spokesperson Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao said DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian has met with Cacdac on the possible repatriation efforts for OFWs in the Middle East.</p><p>The DMW will take the lead in the repatriation, according to Dumlao, but once OFWs arrive in the Philippines, the DSWD is ready to help them in terms of finances, counseling, and even job opportunities.</p><p>&quot;Ang DSWD can provide financial assistance, psychosocial interventions, and livelihood assistance para sa mga kapwa Pilipino natin na uuwi sa kanikanilang probinsya pag sila ay nakarating na sa bansa,&quot; she said.</p><p>Dumlao added that DSWD has enough funds to help the possible influx of repatriated OFWs through the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation.</p><p>&quot;Ang atin pong primary consideration dito, of course, ay mapangalagaan ang interes, maprotektahan natin ang ating mga kababayan, at lalung lalu na mabigyan sila ng karampatang tulong,&quot; she said.</p><p>She added that helping migrant workers will also be one of the topics to be discussed at this week&#x27;s ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Council Meetings in Makati. DSWD is the host of this week&#x27;s ASEAN meetings.</p><p>&quot;The ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community is actually closely monitoring the evolving situation in the Middle East… The ASEAN nationals of member states who will be affected by the current turmoil will receive the appropriate support and assistance,&quot; she said.</p><p>A Filipino caregiver, Mary Anne Velazquez de Vera, was killed by shrapnel during an airstrike in Israel over the weekend, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced on Sunday.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2026/3/2/gov-t-to-repatriate-remains-of-ofw-caregiver-killed-by-iran-strike-in-israel-0949">READ: Gov&#x27;t to repatriate remains of OFW caregiver killed by Iran strike in Israel</a></div><p>DMW Secretary Cacdac said his office and the Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv are coordinating with De Vera&#x27;s husband, who is also a caregiver in Israel, for the repatriation of the remains. </p><p>On Monday, the Israeli military said it launched &quot;large-scale strikes&quot; on Tehran two days after the start of a US-Israeli campaign against Iran.</p><p>United States President Donald Trump, meanwhile, has vowed to avenge the deaths of US service members and said the war could last for weeks.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/u6__XxOZr88?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div>

<p>At least 80 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Dubai, UAE have expressed intent to be repatriated amidst the ongoing tensions in the Middle East, the Department of Migrant Workers said on Monday.</p>

At least 80 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Dubai, UAE have expressed intent to be repatriated amidst the ongoing tensions in the Middle East, the Department of Migrant Workers said on Monday.

No mandatory repatriation yet but gov't preparing to assist OFWs wanting to come home

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No mandatory repatriation yet but gov't preparing to assist OFWs wanting to come home

Jervis Manahan,

Jekki Pascual,

ABS-CBN News

Published Mar 02, 2026 01:47 PM PHT

|

Updated Mar 02, 2026 03:56 PM PHT

Read More:

conflict

Middle East

Iran

Israel

United States

OFWs

overseas Filipino workers

Department of Social Welfare and Development

DSWD

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