Courtesy: Stimson Center
PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. announced on Tuesday that over 1,000 Filipinos have already requested to be repatriated due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. During a briefing at Malacañang Palace, Marcos provided an update on the number of Filipinos seeking to return home from various countries in the region. As of early this morning, he reported that 10 Filipinos from Iran, 297 from Israel, 22 from Jordan, 231 from Bahrain, 586 from Dubai, and 270 from Abu Dhabi have expressed their desire to be brought back to the Philippines.
In total, Marcos said that 1,416 Filipino nationals have requested repatriation. The figures reflect the rising concern among overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and their families amid escalating tensions and military confrontations in the Middle East. The government is closely monitoring the situation and trying to facilitate the repatriation process, despite facing significant logistical challenges.
The President admitted that the process of bringing Filipinos home has been complicated by the current state of regional airports, which are not fully operational due to security concerns. He explained that reports of attacks on airports in the region, particularly by Iran, have made air travel highly risky. “The airports are closed and are considered no-fly zones because this is a combat area,” Marcos said, emphasizing the dangerous environment that hampers efforts to evacuate Filipinos by air.
Transportation by land has also been deemed risky. Marcos warned that friendly fire incidents could occur, further complicating efforts to move Filipinos safely out of conflict zones. “Transporting them by land is also dangerous because of active combat zones and the risk of misidentification leading to attacks,” he explained. The fluid and volatile situation in the region continues to pose significant challenges for the Philippine government’s repatriation efforts.
