Jonathan Frederic De Santos

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

Article (news)

Agence France-Presse

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17727819108591772781909642.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="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. AFP"/>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. AFP </div>MANILA — Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac agreed with Sen. Risa Hontiveros that the department he leads may need supplemental funds to address the needs of Filipinos caught in the conflict in the Middle East.Hontiveros raised the possibility during a Senate inquiry on government response to the crisis ignited by the US and Israel attacking Iran.&quot;Yes po. We need the funding in a worst-case scenario,&quot; he said, adding the Department of Migrant Workers&#x27; current budget is enough for &quot;the current level&quot; of requests for repatriation but may run out if the crisis worsens.He said Overseas Workers&#x27; Welfare Administration has an Emergency Repatriation Fund that was put up during the COVID-19 pandemic that is being used for &quot;a completely different scenario today.&quot;OWWA Administrator PY Caunan said there is around P1.5 billion left in the ERF.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2026/3/5/oil-crisis-plan-staggered-price-increases-excise-tax-cuts-4-day-work-week-1009">Oil crisis plan: Staggered price increases, excise tax cuts, 4-day work week </a></div>She said that based on OWWA projections, it would cost around P135,000-P140,000 to repatriate one Filipino worker and to transport them to their home.&quot;Pero dahil po sa krisis na ito, in-expect po natin na umaakyat itong presyong ito (But because of this crisis, we expect the cost to go up),&quot; Caunan added.She said that if around 12,000 —0.5 percent — of the 2.4 million Filipinos in the region seek repatriation, the agency would have a funding gap of around P338 million. The Department of Finance told senators it is already looking for potential funding sources in case the crisis in the Middle East, which is also called West Asia, worsens.&quot;Actually... what we’re thinking of is to allow the use of Contingent Fund, but probably going beyond that, we’re looking at savings if any, and I suppose we’re open for that also,&quot;  Finance Undersecretary Maria Edita Tan said. — from a report by RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News

Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac agreed with Sen. Risa Hontiveros that the department he leads may need supplemental funds to address the needs of Filipinos caught in the conflict in the Middle East.

Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac agreed with Sen. Risa Hontiveros that the department he leads may need supplemental funds to address the needs of Filipinos caught in the conflict in the Middle East.

DMW tells senators: More funding needed if Middle East crisis worsens

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DMW tells senators: More funding needed if Middle East crisis worsens

Agence France-Presse

Published March 06, 2026 03:29 PM PHT

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Updated March 06, 2026 10:48 PM PHT

Read More:

Department of Migrant Workers

Overseas Workers Welfare Administration

Middle East

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