Living Under Siege: How Conflicts Impact The Livelihood of OFWs

Around 244 OFWs that were repatriated from Bahrain returned to the Philippines on Friday, April 3, 2026. (DMW / Release)

The unpredictability of the international system has risen to a new high, like never before. These incursions in the Middle East region, in the midst of it all, have an immediate effect on the welfare and economy of the Philippines. Filipinos, then, may begin to wonder how this issue affects our country. Given the uncertainty provided by the current international order, the Philippines should be more worried now than ever. It should be prepared to organize contingencies to protect national sovereignty by prioritizing the welfare of its OFWs and by addressing the economic and security shocks that accompany a surprise conflict. Many OFWs continue to be affected by the ongoing clash between the US, Israel, and Iran. A lot of them are stranded either in the middle of conflict-prone areas or left in airports for long periods. Flights are on hold due to missiles flooding the airspace, making it unsafe for planes to fly. Around 15,000 OFWs in the Middle East have attempted to seek repatriation to the Philippines amidst the persisting threat of bombs within the area. OFWs in Dubai make up the majority of Filipinos wanting to return to the Philippines. Around 299 Filipinos were successfully repatriated to the Philippines while receiving financial aid from the Philippine government. 

Despite the Philippines being service-oriented in its exports, the current conflict may disincentivize current and future Filipinos from migrating to the Middle East. Filipinos could be traumatized by recent events to even dare to work there. To understand this likely trauma, it is worth recalling how the Philippines dealt with OFW repatriation in the past. During Israel’s attacks on Palestine, the Philippine government immediately executed repatriation efforts for OFWs. More than 500 Filipinos repatriated to the Philippines. There were four recorded OFW deaths during this crisis. The repatriated immediately received cash assistance upon returning to the Philippines. The war with Russia and Ukraine had the Philippines immediately preparing mechanisms for its crisis management and had around 600 Filipinos repatriated from Ukraine. However, repatriation issues continue to persist given that certain OFWs were deceived into joining the war and representing Russia, meeting their end at the hands of crossfire. Thus, the DFA has currently warned Filipinos to be aware of such job scams. The early 2010s crisis in Libya saw the Philippines immediately set up relocation centers to provide shelter for the OFWs in need. Shipping arrangements and relocation sites were directly deployed and established, with assistance from the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

These past events perhaps heavily impacted and alarmed OFWs’ perspectives on working in the Middle East especially given that the labor sector is the Philippines’ primary export resource in international trade. This then begs the question: would Filipinos still want to work abroad, given the number of crises and conflicts occurring in today’s international landscape? The labor trade industry in the Philippines would be heavily affected, as the country is highly dependent on this sector to sustain its economic security. 

In handling OFW repatriation, the Philippine government must prioritize proactive solutions beyond mere announcements. Although President Marcos noted that immediate repatriation for the OFWs was too risky due to missile strikes scouring the skies, the government needs to do more than stay alert and informed. The consideration of their security over strategic planning and execution needs to be prioritized. 15,000 OFWs’ repatriation requests remain. According to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), however, some requests were withdrawn as the situation in the Middle East improved. Nevertheless, these repatriation efforts should still be reconsidered to ensure their safety is swiftly secured. This is in consideration amidst the ongoing pause in the US and Iran, which could continue again upon pressure from Israel. 

The Philippines is part of the many casualties of the war given that the Middle East clash affected the livelihood of OFWs. OFWs nearest to the conflict hotspots are the most affected. Several school buildings have been destroyed while even children have been reported casualties of the dispute. It is through this that, in times of trouble, no matter how widespread the conflict is, the Philippines must safeguard its countrymen abroad. The goal of the Philippine government is to always ensure the immediate assistance and protection of Filipinos abroad as they deem necessary. Given how repatriation efforts are being handled, the Filipino people now should put the government into scrutiny. 

One Filipino OFW, in the name of Mary Anne Velasquez de Vera, was reported dead in the clash. This was reported and confirmed by the DFA as it was noted that she was killed while tending to bring her elderly to the closest bomb shelters. Another Filipina was reported dead recently and confirmed by the DFA with her name kept confidential as requested by the victims’ family. Affected OFWs on the frontlines should be more worried now than ever given these two reported casualties. Around 30,000 OFWs work in Israel while millions more total the OFW population in the Middle East. Only two casualties have been reported by the DFA as of this writing and many more cases may have yet to be confirmed. With repatriation efforts being delayed and two reported casualties, the current government plans on OFWs’ safety seem to be insufficient and not effective enough to mitigate this diasporic crisis. These OFW cases then call for greater preparedness and the urgent implementation of government contingency plans to safeguard OFWs abroad. 

As the US-Israel and Iran conflict persists, Filipinos should condemn the laid-back approach of the Philippine government to the issue at hand. One of the existing agreements the Philippines has with the US that can further the impacts of the war on domestic security is EDCA (Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement). EDCA is an executive agreement that gives the privilege for the US to pre-position its own military bases as sites around the Philippines. Despite the agreement, it is probable that the Philippines is currently not on the agenda of either the US or Iran. Organizations like the AFP assured that Filipinos in the Philippines “can sleep soundly” as Iran’s missiles would not reach the country due to only having a launch capacity of 2,000 km - 5,500 km. While that may be the case, numerous American bases have been attacked by Iran’s army all around the Middle East. The EDCA bases have been used as refueling stations and training grounds for the Americans in preparation for the launch of their attacks in Iran. Iran may put in the effort at any time to engage these bases. Thus, Filipinos and the current administration should still be wary of what may occur. 

US President Donald Trump ruled out any peaceful resolution to the issue, as the US and Israel believe that Iran may use their nuclear capabilities for militaristic means. Despite this claim, Iran objectifies this argument and notes that their nuclear energy is only for civilian use. Regardless of this, the US and Israel immediately intervened, intending to eliminate Iran’s nuclear energy program to maximize both the security of the region and the United States. Iran responded with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz - a vital maritime route for the trade of oil in Europe and Asia. Trade was thus heavily affected while the airspace also brought fear amongst civilians. Missiles continue to crowd the sky, halting numerous airports’ operations in the process. 

In the words of President Benigno Aquino III, “ The first duty of our government is to protect our citizens”. In this regard, there is a need for Philippine culture to change the way it looks at contemporary political issues. It is with dignity that both the government and Filipinos should look at crises on OFWs through the perspective of their safety abroad. Filipinos should not just look at how the Philippines would be unaffected. Filipinos should instead look at the bigger picture as to how such conflicts would affect the country in the long run, both culturally and economically. 

Through this shift in perception of Filipinos on global issues, it is a necessity to be able to call for transparent action on the matter. The government should not underestimate Iran’s missile launch capabilities. It should instead stay on high-alert in the possibility of Iran intervening in the Philippines. More cooperation and accountability with Philippine representatives in country embassies need to be bolstered to make more efficient the responsiveness on monitoring OFWs caught in the violent clash. Immediate financial aid grants need to be provided to repatriated OFWs. Through engaging in these situations, the Philippines may be able to mitigate the situation as efficiently as its ASEAN neighbors. Hopefully, over time, the government may become more accountable and responsive rather than laid-back in their approach towards the US-Israel and Iran conflict. Filipinos, especially migrants, should always be given the utmost aid, whether financial or security-related. These circumstances then raise the question: how should one really assess the Marcos administration’s responses to saving Filipino lives in these global crises? Should assessments be based on the government’s confidence in handling such crises? Or should government actions be assessed based on how many lives they actually saved?

This article was edited by Patrick Raphael Ulibas.