Jamaine Punzalan

Residents stand on a street beside damaged residential buildings near Niloufar square in Tehran during the ongoing joint US-Israeli military campaign on Iran on March 2, 2026. The United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran on February 28, killing Iran's supreme leader and top military leaders, prompting authorities to retaliate with strikes on Israel and across the Gulf. AFP

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<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/1772504772725AFP__20260302__99LM7EF__v2__MidRes__IranIsraelUsWar.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Residents stand on a street beside damaged residential buildings near Niloufar square in Tehran during the ongoing joint US-Israeli military campaign on Iran on March 2, 2026. The United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran on February 28, killing Iran&#x27;s supreme leader and top military leaders, prompting authorities to retaliate with strikes on Israel and across the Gulf. <em>AFP </em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Tuesday the government was searching for ways to “safely” repatriate hundreds of Filipinos who were seeking to flee the spiraling war in the Middle East.</p><p>Marcos said authorities have received repatriation requests from at least 1,416 Filipinos as the United States and Israel continued to bombard Iran, while Tehran launched further strikes on neighbors.</p><p>But he noted that repatriation would be difficult given the<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/3/3/closure-of-israel-airspace-stymies-repatriation-of-slain-filipino-caregiver-0958"> closure of airspace and airports</a> in the region. </p><p>“We will slowly try to find ways, for those who want to be repatriated, we will find ways to get you out safely,” Marcos said in a press briefing, addressing those seeking repatriation. </p><p>In the meantime, he urged Filipinos in the Middle East to “shelter in place and follow the host government&#x27;s advice.” </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2026/3/3/-we-have-to-run-fast-filipino-workers-on-life-under-fire-in-mideast-0903">&#x27;We have to run fast&#x27;: Filipino workers on life under fire in MidEast</a></div><p>“The most dangerous area for our people right now would be Israel dahil tuloy-tuloy ang attack sa Israel... Dahil sanay sila sa giyera, marami silang bomb shelter na pwedeng pagtaguan. At yun ang naging advice namin sa ating mga kababayan: doon muna kayo,” the President said. </p><p>“Para maging mas maginhawa sa  kanila, kumuha tayo, nakipag-usap tayo sa iba&#x27;t ibang hotel na malapit sa bomb shelter na doon sila muna pumunta at pag may air raids alarm, tumakbo muna sila sa bomb shelter,” he said.  </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2026/3/3/mideast-war-filipino-hurt-in-kuwait-all-filipinos-in-iran-safe-dmw-0949">Mideast war: OFW hurt in Kuwait; all Filipinos in Iran safe – DMW</a></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/3/3/closure-of-israel-airspace-stymies-repatriation-of-slain-filipino-caregiver-0958">Closure of Israel airspace stymies repatriation of slain Filipino caregiver</a></div><div><iframe width="1023" height="575" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/15L08r1YtZw" title="LIVE: Pres. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. holds press briefing on escalating tensions in the Middle East" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><p>US President Donald Trump said the war, which began Saturday with a strike that killed Iran&#x27;s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was going &quot;substantially&quot; ahead of schedule but that it could go on for more than four weeks.</p><p>He also for the first time laid out objectives -- destroying Iran&#x27;s missiles, navy and nuclear program, and stopping its support for armed groups across the region -- which notably did not include toppling the Islamic republic.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2026/3/3/trump-doesn-t-rule-out-sending-us-troops-into-iran-0201">Trump warns of longer Iran war as Riyadh, Beirut hit</a></div><p>The US State Department urged Americans to leave all of the Middle East from Egypt eastward.</p><p>Iran has responded by unleashing missiles and drones across the Middle East, including Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Dubai, while threatening explicitly to drive up global energy costs.</p><p>That sent oil prices soaring nearly 14 percent Monday before easing slightly, while European natural gas prices spiked almost 40 percent after Qatar&#x27;s state-run energy firm said it had halted liquefied natural gas production.</p><p>Meanwhile, a general in Iran&#x27;s Revolutionary Guards threatened to &quot;burn any ship&quot; seeking to navigate the Strait of Hormuz. </p><div><strong>— With a report from Agence France-Presse </strong></div><div><iframe width="1023" height="575" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fKgJRXAGKm4" title="Closure of Israel airspace stymies repatriation of slain Filipino caregiver" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> <iframe width="1023" height="575" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yOGV1lQAkaw" title="Israel intercepts barrage of Iranian missiles in latest attack" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> <iframe width="1023" height="575" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yefFH5GLxUw" title="Israeli, U.S. strike causes massive damage to police station, surrounding buildings in Tehran" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Tuesday the government was searching for ways to “safely” repatriate hundreds of Filipinos who were seeking to flee the spiraling war in the Middle East.</p>

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Tuesday the government was searching for ways to “safely” repatriate hundreds of Filipinos who were seeking to flee the spiraling war in the Middle East.

Marcos tells Filipinos seeking repatriation from Mideast war: ‘We will find ways to get you out’

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Marcos tells Filipinos seeking repatriation from Mideast war: ‘We will find ways to get you out’

Jamaine Punzalan,

ABS-CBN News

Published March 03, 2026 10:44 AM PHT

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Updated March 03, 2026 11:02 AM PHT

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Israel

war

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Iran

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Bongbong Marcos

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