OFW Safety First: Philippines Suspends Deployments To Mideast Hotspots

KUWAIT CITY, June 20: The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has encouraged private recruitment agencies (PRAs) to delay the deployment of their processed Filipino workers to conflict-affected countries in the Middle East, ensuring their safety and well-being.
The DMW issued Advisory No. 19 s. 2025 reiterating restrictions in the deployment of OFWs to Israel, Iran, Jordan, and Lebanon.
Lebanon remains under Alert Level 3, which prohibits deployment of both new hires and returning workers.
Israel, meanwhile, is under Alert Level 2, which means that only returning workers with valid contracts are allowed, but currently cannot proceed due to airspace closures amid the ongoing tensions in the region.
'Right now, we're on Alert Level 2 in Israel, which means new hires are prohibited, but pwede ang returning. However, due to the airspace restrictions, it is impossible for them to go, including to those bound for Jordan, because they will just be turned back in case of the closure of the airspace,' said Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac during a press briefing on Thursday.
As of June 19, a total of 58 stranded OFWs — including 43 bound for Israel and 15 for Jordan — have been assisted by DMW's Migrant Workers Offices (MWOs) in Dubai and Abu Dhabi for repatriation. The DMW is closely coordinating with the MWOs and the Philippine Embassies to ensure the welfare of workers caught in transit.
'When we speak in a regulatory sense, then they have to comply. Any agency that continues deployment despite the directive will face penalties,' Secretary Cacdac warned. 'And yes, 'yong cost of travel hahabulin namin sila doon kung kami ang gumastos sa pagpapauwi.'
The advisory mandates PRAs to:
Maintain active communication with employers and foreign partners to verify the location and safety of deployed workers;
Conduct regular welfare checks and submit updated reports through the OFW Welfare Monitoring System;
Develop contingency plans covering evacuation and emergency repatriation;
Shoulder costs of rerouting or rebooking flights for OFWs affected by airspace closures; and
Refrain from processing deployments to Jordan and Israel until clearance is issued.
DMW also met with PRAs, including the Philippine Association of Manpower Agencies for Jordan (PAMAJOR) and the Foreign Recruitment Agency in Jordan, to explain the current situation and ensure compliance.
'Naipaliwanag natin sa Jordanian employers ang kasalukuyang sitwasyon at limitasyon sa pagpapapunta ng ating mga OFWs at handa silang mag-aantay at tumulong sa lahat nang na-stranded nating mga OFWs,' said DMW Undersecretary Bernard Olalia.
The DMW emphasized its commitment to ensuring the protection and security of OFWs, especially in times of crisis, as directed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in coordination with the Department of Foreign Affairs and other agencies.

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