29 Ilonggo OFWs repatriated as tensions rise in Mid-East

By Mariela Angella Oladive

At least 29 overseas Filipino workers from Iloilo province have been repatriated from the Middle East, as more than 100 others have requested to return home due to escalating regional tensions, according to the Provincial Public Employment Service Office.

The figure, based on data from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration as of March 16, is still being validated, with authorities verifying the municipalities of origin of the returnees.

In a March 19 interview with Radyo Pilipinas Iloilo, PESO Iloilo head Cynthia P. Dario said the provincial government continues its around-the-clock monitoring and profiling of affected Ilonggo OFWs.

“As of now, we have profiled more than 14,000 OFWs from Iloilo. Of this number, 106 have signified their intention to be repatriated,” Dario said.

She confirmed that some OFWs have already arrived home, while others are still undergoing processing through the Department of Migrant Workers.

“We are closely monitoring them. Those who have returned are currently resting, and we respect their privacy as they recover,” she added.

Dario noted that most OFWs who opted for repatriation cited safety concerns amid the ongoing tensions involving the United States, Israel, Iran, and neighboring Middle Eastern countries.

The Middle East is one of the largest employment destinations for Filipino migrant workers, with hundreds of thousands deployed across the Gulf states and neighboring countries in sectors such as domestic work, construction, healthcare, and retail. Escalating military tensions in the region have disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and driven sharp increases in global fuel prices, heightening safety concerns for overseas workers.

“They were affected and feared for their security, which is why they chose to come home,” she said.

To support returning OFWs, the Iloilo provincial government has activated the Overseas Filipinos Migration and Development Center, a dedicated and institutionalized unit under PESO that assesses the needs of repatriates.

Under its regular assistance program, the provincial government provides PHP 10,000 in financial aid to qualified returnees.

Dario noted that additional support measures are also being finalized.

She urged Ilonggo OFWs who remain abroad to stay vigilant and follow advisories from the DMW, and to keep in touch with provincial hotlines, which remain operational around the clock.

Emergency hotline numbers for Ilonggo OFWs and their families have been made available through the official Facebook page of the Iloilo PESO.