Jamaine Punzalan

Interior Secretary Juanito “Jonvic” Remulla holds a press conference at Camp Crame in Quezon City on Tuesday, August 26, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Karen De Guzman

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/177261362549920250826-dilg-remulla-torre-relieved-MT7.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Interior Secretary Juanito “Jonvic” Remulla holds a press conference at Camp Crame in Quezon City on Tuesday, August 26, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News </span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>MANILA — Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Wednesday 11 vice mayors from Bulacan and possibly one mayor traveled to Dubai last week and were stranded following the eruption of a<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2026/3/4/israeli-strike-hits-beirut-hotel-latest-developments-in-middle-east-war-1242"> regional conflict sparked by Israel-US strikes on Iran.</a></p><p>&quot;Umalis sila Wednesday last week. May travel authority naman, mga vice mayors from Bulacan. Parang 11 isa sila eh. So ngayon, stuck sila sa Dubai,&quot; Remulla said.</p><p>Remulla said the officials left in their personal capacity and were granted travel authority as long as no government funds were used.</p><p>He added that they have yet to formally seek assistance from his office, and authorities were still verifying reports that one mayor could have traveled without the required travel authority.   </p><p>Meanwhile, Remulla said the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) was prepared to assist in the possible repatriation of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the Middle East.  </p><p>“One million Filipinos in the UAE, in Saudi Arabia, are stuck in the middle of a war. I might have to go there and start arranging their repatriation to come back,” Remulla said. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/3/3/marco-middle-east-war-ofws-repatriation-1044">Marcos tells Filipinos seeking repatriation from Mideast war: ‘We will find ways to get you out’</a></div><p>The DILG chief described the logistics of a mass evacuation as the “million-dollar question.”</p><p>He noted that commercial airlines have limited long-range aircraft capable of flying to and from the Middle East. </p><p>Philippine Airlines, he said, has around 50 planes in its fleet, but only about half can service Middle East routes. </p><p>Cebu Pacific, meanwhile, has two aircraft that can make the trip.</p><p>“Kung 5,000 passengers a day ang kaya nating pabalik-balik dito, do the math, 1 million divided by 4,000, that’s 250 days na araw-araw. So, the logistics is not easy, but if it is necessary, we will do our best para maibalik sila dito,” he said. </p><p>Remulla also pointed out that government assets were limited and the Philippines lacked long-range aircraft capable of reaching the Middle East.</p><p>“All we have are fighter jets and turboprops that can protect the country,” he said, adding that authorities might need to charter commercial maritime vessels if needed.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2026/3/4/israeli-strike-hits-beirut-hotel-latest-developments-in-middle-east-war-1242">Israeli strike hits Beirut hotel: Latest developments in Middle East war</a></div><p>Remulla said the government was weighing its options, ranging from monitoring the situation and waiting for the conflict to subside to implementing a full-scale evacuation.</p><p>“Let&#x27;s not make harsh decisions, let&#x27;s not make harsh pronouncements. I&#x27;m just giving you the overview kung anong nangyayari,” he said.</p><p>Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said it was “ready to provide manpower and other resources for any plan of lead government agencies to bring home as many of our kababayan.” </p><p>“We are putting a sufficient number of our personnel and resources on standby for this purpose,” PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said in a statement. </p><p>Government data show there are around 2.5 million Filipinos working and residing in the Middle East.</p><p>Of this number, at least 1,400 have already signified their intention to return to the Philippines following a series of air strikes reported in the region since February 28.</p><p>The Department of Migrant Workers earlier clarified that there was <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/3/2/no-mandatory-repatriation-yet-but-gov-t-preparing-to-assist-ofws-wanting-to-come-home-1347">no mass repatriation yet</a>, but assured the public that the government was prepared to extend assistance to affected OFWs should the situation worsen.</p><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><iframe width="1022" height="575" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/s4vhqjSsvMA" title="Over two million OFWs affected by conflict in the Middle East | ANC" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>nterior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Wednesday 11 vice mayors from Bulacan and possibly one mayor traveled to Dubai last week and were stranded following the eruption of a regional conflict sparked by Israel-US strikes on Iran.</p>

nterior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Wednesday 11 vice mayors from Bulacan and possibly one mayor traveled to Dubai last week and were stranded following the eruption of a regional conflict sparked by Israel-US strikes on Iran.

DILG: Several Bulacan officials stranded in Dubai amid Middle East war

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DILG: Several Bulacan officials stranded in Dubai amid Middle East war

Karen De Guzman,

ABS-CBN News

Published March 04, 2026 04:43 PM PHT

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Updated March 04, 2026 04:50 PM PHT

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Bulacan

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