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GMA Network
24-06-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
31 Pinoys repatriated from Middle East arrive in PH
The 31 Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who were repatriated from the Middle East arrived in the country on Tuesday evening. The Pinoys were welcomed by members of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), among other government agencies at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. The 31 OFWs are composed of 26 Filipinos from Israel, three from Jordan, one from Palestine, and one from Qatar. They are the first batch of repatriated Filipinos since hostilities between Israel and Iran began on June 13. Their flight was delayed due to the temporary suspension of Qatari air traffic after Iran attacked a US military base in Doha. 'We experienced flight delays due to airspace restrictions, but what's really important is that we are here at home, safe and sound,' DMW Secretary Hans Cacdac said in a statement. DMW earlier announced that the repatriated Filipinos will receive financial assistance worth P150,000, temporary shelter, transportation to their respective provinces, and a reintegration program. 'The DOH will provide medical services and assistance to one cancer patient-repatriate, and one pregnant OFW, including mental wellness check-up to ensure their overall well-being,' Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said in the same statement. 'We stand ready to assist those who are willing to be repatriated. We are encouraging OFWs to avail of the voluntary repatriation program,' Cacdac said. DMW also said 50 more Filipinos could be repatriated this week. It added that of the 30,000 Filipinos in Israel, 311 have already requested repatriation. —RF, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
24-06-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
AFP ready to aid in repatriating Pinoys in Middle East amid tension
DMW Sec. Hans Cacdac and Philippine Ambassador to Jordan Wilfredo Santos, along with the team of Philippine Embassy and Migrant Workers Office in Amman, Jordan pose with 26 OFWs and one Filipina tourist who will be returning to the Philippines through the government's voluntary repatriation program. File photo: Department of Migrant Workers The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is ready to help with the repatriation of Filipinos affected by the continuous tension in the Middle East, spokesperson Colonel Francel Margareth Padilla said Tuesday. 'The Armed Forces of the Philippines is prepared to be in sync with other government agencies in terms of the role that the AFP will play in terms of repatriation,' Padilla told reporters at a press briefing. 'So, we are ready to react swiftly, securely, and in sync with other government agencies on this,' she added. The first batch of Filipinos is expected to arrive Tuesday night around 7 p.m. after it was delayed due to the temporary suspension of Qatari air traffic after Iran attacked a US military base in Doha. The Department of Migrant Workers also said 50 more Filipinos could be repatriated this week. Last week, the Philippine government raised the crisis alert to level 3 in Israel and Iran, urging Filipinos in the affected areas to take advantage of the voluntary repatriation as armed hostilities between the two countries continue. According to the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration., it has received 35 calls for assistance since the Philippine government raised the Crisis Alert to Level 3 in Israel and Iran. — Mariel Celine Serquiña/RSJ, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
24-06-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
Repatriation of 31 Pinoys from Middle East delayed after suspension of Qatar airspace — DMW
The repatriation of 31 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from the Middle East supposedly on Tuesday morning was delayed due to the temporary suspension of Qatari air traffic after Iran attacked a US military base in Doha, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said. Despite this, DMW Secretary Hans Cacdac said that the 31 OFWs — 26 of whom from Israel, three from Jordan, one from Palestine, and one from Qatar — are all 'safe and sound.' Cacdac, who was with the affected OFWs, said that the Qatari airspace has already opened, and they are now awaiting confirmation of the new schedule of their flight. 'Our officials and personnel from the Philippine Embassy are on the ground providing our OFWs, who availed the repatriation program of our government as mandated by our President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., the necessary assistance and coordination with the Qatari authorities,' the DMW chief said in a statement. 'For the families of the repatriated OFWs, please be assured that we are actively working to finalize new flight arrangements,' he added. Cacdac also called on OFWs in the Middle East to be 'calm but vigilant,' reiterating the call of the Qatari Ministry to refrain from sharing rumors and/or unverified information that would cause panic. He said the OFWs should rely only on official government advisories from the DWM, the Philippine Embassy, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), and trusted authorities. No Filipinos were hurt in Qatar after Iran launched air strikes on an American military base on Monday night, the Philippine Embassy in Qatar said, citing Qatar government's announcement that there were no casualties following the strike. Iran launched missiles at the US' Al-Udeid Air Base located southwest of Doha on Monday night, in retaliation to the US' bombing of its nuclear sites over the weekend. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
22-06-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
DMW processing repatriation requests from 223 OFWs in Israel
DMW Sec. Hans Cacdac and Philippine Ambassador to Jordan Wilfredo Santos, along with the team of Philippine Embassy and Migrant Workers Office in Amman, Jordan pose with 26 OFWs and one Filipina tourist who will be returning to the Philippines through the government's voluntary repatriation program. Photo: Department of Migrant Workers The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) on Sunday said it is processing repatriation requests from 223 Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in Israel, as well as seeing to the travel needs of 30 Filipinos making up the first batch of returnees. In a press briefing on Sunday, DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac shared that the group of 30 will include 26 OFWs who had arrived in Jordan after passing through the Allenby Bridge and King Hussein Bridge on Sunday morning. The group of 26 will be joined by three other Filipinos from Jordan and another from the Israel-occupied West Bank, and will be accompanied home by Cacdac on a commercial flight set to arrive in the Philippines on Tuesday morning. 'Many of them also are longstanding OFWs, some about, should I say, 10 to 15 years in Israel and some three to six years in Israel, but all of them, of course, wish to come home… So rest assured, we will bring them home safely as directed by the President,' said Cacdac. The repatriated OFWs will receive adequate assistance from the government upon arrival in the country, including P150,000 in financial assistance, TESDA training vouchers and allowances, psychosocial counseling, and post-arrival medical check-ups. 'We will provide this particular benefit upon arrival. It will stem the tide for them. It's a safety net for those who lost their jobs, at least temporarily, and [they] will receive some tulong-pinansyal, pantawid [financial aid to help them get by]… Malaking bagay din to, di ba? Kasi maiibsan din yung gastusin ng mga dumadating [This is also a big deal, right? Because it will help with their costs when they arrive],' Cacdac added. Israel launched air attacks on Iran on June 13, claiming that the Islamic Republic is on the verge of developing a nuclear weapon. Iran retaliated, hitting several areas in Israel, with the attacks between the two countries still continuing. On Sunday, Israel's ally the US bombed three nuclear sites in Iran. Iran, which maintains that its nuclear program is purely for civilian purposes, is a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty, while Israel is not. Alert levels Meanwhile, Cacdac noted that the alert levels raised by the Philippines on other countries are based on decisions from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and corresponding Philippine embassies in the area. In response to the raised alert levels in Israel and Iran, DMW advised Filipinos not to proceed with planned trips in the affected areas. 'We rely on the DFA in terms of raising the alert level, so we will depend on the political security expertise of our dear colleagues at the DFA… What I can say however, tuloy ang tulong [the assistance continues] on the ground,' Cacdac said. Iran and Israel are currently at Alert Level 3 following armed hostilities between the two countries. The DFA advised Filipinos in either country to consider repatriation to avoid getting caught in hostile exchanges between the two Middle Eastern countries. — BM, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
19-06-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
DMW issues deployment ban on new hires for Iran, Jordan amid conflict with Israel
The Department of Migrant Workers has implemented a deployment ban on new hires for Iran and Jordan amid ongoing hostilities in the Middle East. 'New hires are prohibited. Returning [Overseas Filipino Workers] are allowed, technically speaking. But they still can't travel because the airspace is closed,' DMW Secretary Hans Cacdac said in a press conference on Thursday. The DMW issued Advisory No. 19 s. 2025 reiterating restrictions in the deployment of OFWs to Israel, Iran, Jordan, and Lebanon. Cacdac advised Jordan-bound OFWs to likewise postpone their trips, given the kingdom shares a common border with Israel. 'The same is true with Jordan-bound OFWs, they are turned back. So we issued an advisory, huwag na kayo pumunta muna. We included that in our advisory to recruitment agencies. Don't send new hires to Jordan because they will just be turned back,' Cacdac added. (Don't go there at this time.) There is an existing deployment ban in Israel in the aftermath of the October 7 Hamas attacks against Israel in 2023. Cacdac warned that non-compliant recruitment agencies will be held liable. 'That's part of our regulatory authority over them. When we speak in a regulatory sense, then they have to comply. And yes, on the cost of travel, we'll have them pay for that,' Cacdac said. As of Thursday, Cacdac said that there are also 58 Filipinos who are either Israel-bound or Jordan-bound but are stranded in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Of the 58, the DMW has been able to arrange a flight for four Israel-bound Filipinos to return to the Philippines via an Etihad flight in Abu Dhabi. 'We have been helping them,' Cacdac said. While it is not within DMW's purview to make recommendations on alert levels that determine whether there should be a mandatory repatriation or a voluntary one, Cacdac said the agency is focused on helping Filipinos in need, regardless of the situation. 'The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) officials are the political and security experts. We honor their leadership at the one country team level so it is the ambassador's call, it is the Secretary of Foreign Affairs' call , and we will always defer to the DFA's judgment,' Cacdac said. Tensions are high in the Middle East after Israel launched a preemptive attack against Iran six days ago, supposedly to deter Tehran's nuclear program. —RF, GMA Integrated News
