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PH faces economic shock, mass OFW exodus as Middle East war escalates
SMOKE rises following an Israeli airstrike in Dahiyeh, Beirut’s southern suburbs, Friday, March 6, 2026. AP/HUSSEIN MALLA
T
By Malou Talosig-Bartolome
scattered across volatile regions, many of whom are now pleading for safe passage home.
HE Philippines is bracing for a perfect storm of crises as the escalating war in the Middle East threatens to trigger a mass repatriation of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and a crippling energy price surge. With 2.4 million Filipinos living and working across the region, the human, economic and logistical toll is already being felt.
Repatriation crisis: Logistical nightmare, funding gaps
AN overseas Filipino worker sleeps as she waits for updates on her cancelled flight to the Middle East at Manila’s international airport on Monday, March 2, 2026. AP/AARON FAVILA
A PLUME of smoke caused by an Iranian strike is seen in the background as Emirates planes are parked at Dubai International Airport after its closure in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, March 1, 2026. AP/ALTAF QADRI
At a Senate hearing on March 6, 2026, lawmakers and government agencies painted a grim picture: thousands of Filipinos stranded in conflict zones, skyrocketing costs of evacuation, and fuel prices poised to hit historic highs.
Human toll: OFWs in the crossfire
THE war’s impact is no longer abstract. On the first day of attacks
last February 28, 2026, 32-year-old caregiver from Pangasinan Mary Ann B. De Vera was killed by missile debris in Israel. Senators and government officials concede her tragic death is a painful reminder that armed conflict does not remain confined to battlefields. Her story underscores the vulnerability of millions of Filipinos
On human toll: “Our paramount preference is to make sure that these land routes or even air routes are safe… we will not rest until everyone who wishes to come home is safe and safely home.” — DFA Acting Undersecretary Ezzedin Tago
On repatriation cost: “Because the total estimated cost will be around P3.67 billion at P150,000 per head, we urgently need supplemental budgets to guarantee no Filipino is left behind.” — OWWA Administrator Patricia Caunan
On logistical constraints: “Sarado ang airspace sa lahat ng bansa… kaya’t ang option po natin is land crossing.” — DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac
On fuel/energy impact: “Ayoko hong mag-project pero ito’y masama pa doon [Ukraine crisis] eh, kasi dito Middle East ang pinaguusapan.”—DOE Director Rino Abad
THE Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) reported that 1,416 OFWs have formally requested immediate repatriation. Yet execution is hampered by regional airspace closures, forcing the government to consider land evacuation into “safe haven” countries such as Oman and Egypt. “Sarado ang airspace sa lahat ng bansa na covered ng requests for repatriation, kaya’t ang option po natin [The airspace is closed in all of the countries covered by requests for repatriation, so our option] is land crossing,” DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac. The financial strain is equally daunting. The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) manages the Emergency Repatriation Fund (ERF), currently pegged at P1.5 billion. But repatriation costs have surged from P135,000–P140,000 per OFW under normal circumstances to P150,000 per head due to complex wartime logistics. At this rate, the ERF can only cover about 10,000 repatriates. OWWA Administrator Patricia Caunan warned that if even 1 percent of Filipinos in the region (24,000 workers) request evacuation, the government faces a P2.2billion funding gap. “Because the total estimated cost will be around P3.67 billion at P150,000 per head, we urgently need supplemental budgets to guarantee no Filipino is left behind,” Caunan stressed. To ease reintegration, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is preparing programs to profile returnees against Continued on A2
PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 58.4690 n JAPAN 0.3710 n UK 78.1204 n HK 7.4780 n CHINA 8.4584 n SINGAPORE 45.6539 n AUSTRALIA 40.9634 n EU 67.8825 n KOREA 0.0395 n SAUDI ARABIA 15.5784 Source: BSP (March 6, 2026)