106 departing OFWs stranded amid Middle East crisis

sunstar.com.ph · Mar 1, 2026 · Collected from GDELT

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IRAN. Members of the Israeli security and rescue forces work at the scene where a ballistic missile fired from Iran hit and caused damage in Tel Aviv, Israel, early on March 1, 2026.XinhuaPublished on: Mar 01, 2026, 9:55 am AMID the escalation of attacks in the Middle East, some 100 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) have been left stranded in the Philippines after their flights have been cancelled. In a social media post, Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac bared that more than 100 OFWs have been unable to depart the country and are now being assisted by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (Owwa)."About 106 OFWs from canceled Middle East flights were provided with accommodation and transport assistance by DMW-Owwa," said Cacdac. As for those in the crisis-torn region, the DMW said there are no OFWs that have been affected by the ongoing crisis in the Middle East.In a radio interview, Cacdac said they have not yet monitored any OFWs adversely affected by the ongoing battle between Iran and the United States (US) and Israel. "Right now, we have extensive coordination in terms of our relations with our embassies all across the region, Israel and the Gulf states," said Cacdac. "Thus far, there have been no reports of OFWs being hurt or adversely affected by these attacks that we are seeing," he added.The DMW chief advised OFWs in affected areas to maintain calmness as well as vigilance."Stay cautious, alert, and avoid areas with potential danger," said Cacdac. Owwa, meanwhile, declared its readiness to provide all the necessary assistance to the OFWs in the Middle East."Owwa continues to coordinate with Migrant Workers Offices and Philippine to ensure the safety of our countrymen," said Owwa in a social media post.It said those in need of assistance may contact the Owwa Hotline 1348 at it is open 24/7. Owwa said they may also visit the nearest Owwa Regional Office or use the Kumusta Kabayan app for immediate action.On Saturday, the US and Israel forces launched strikes against Iran.Iran, subsequently, retaliated with barrages of missiles in Israel as well as in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. (Anton Banal/SunStar Philippines)