Malacañang expects more OFWs to come home from the Middle East amid conflict

Malacañang said Filipinos from several Middle Eastern countries are expected to return to the Philippines in the coming days through chartered flights.

Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro stated that chartered flights are currently being arranged to bring home Filipinos from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, with the earliest departure scheduled for March 14.

"Earliest possible departure is March 14, 2026. The operation will be funded through the Emergency Repatriation Fund managed by OWWA. From UAE currently finalizing the flight arrangement. So ‘yan po. Chartered po," Castro said during a press briefing in New York City on Monday.

In the United Arab Emirates, the government has secured commercial flights through Emirates for OFWs and their dependents departing from Dubai.

Meanwhile, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) is coordinating flights for Filipino repatriates, with the earliest departure also targeted for March 14, 2026.

Castro said that as of Monday, 16 OFWs from Tel Aviv traveled by land to Eilat, a southern Israeli city that connects to Egypt via the Taba Border Crossing.

"These 16 OFWs cross the Egyptian border and will take the Cairo to Muscat to Manila flight with ETA Manila on March 11, 9:30 p.m.," she said.

“We have 20 OFWs (from Dubai) with nine OFW dependents who travel from Dubai to Oman via the Khatmat-Malaha border crossing in northern Oman. Upon crossing the Omani border, they go to Muscat and take the Muscat to Manila flight with ETA Manila on March 10, 9:30 p.m. Philippine time,” she added.

According to Castro, more than 400 Filipinos have already returned to the Philippines since the conflict in the Middle East began.

She said the government continues to prioritize the safety of Filipinos abroad amid the ongoing regional tensions.