Phl air assets ready for Mideast repatriation

The Philippine government has ramped up its repatriation efforts for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) amid the tensions between Israel and Iran, with air assets and financial aid in place as the crisis deepens.

The Philippine Air Force (PAF) has placed its C-295 and C-130 aircraft on standby, ready to support the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) in flying home Filipinos who wish to leave the region.

“The Philippine Air Force had been involved in repatriation activities. We normally commit the C-130s and right now we have the C-295 platform,” said PAF Chief Lt. Gen. Arthur Cordura in a press conference at Villamor Air Base. “We will eventually make [the C-130] available in case.”

Cordura noted the PAF can deploy specialized personnel, including medical and CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear) teams, to assist in evacuations.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) echoed this readiness. “We are ready to react swiftly, securely, and in sync with other government agencies,” said AFP spokesperson Col. Margareth Padilla.

The preparations come as the DFA and DMW raised Alert Level 3 in both Israel and Iran, allowing for the voluntary repatriation and halting the deployment of new OFWs to those countries.

More than 300 Filipinos have expressed an intent to return home, with 30 already flown out via Jordan. A second batch of 50 OFWs is expected within the week.

On Tuesday evening, 31 more OFWs are scheduled to arrive in the Philippines, following delays caused by the temporary closure of Qatari airspace.

Of the group, 26 came from Israel, three from Jordan, one from Palestine, and one from Qatar.

DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac, currently in Doha, said the situation is stabilizing.

“With the Qatari Ministry of Interior on top of the situation, the Qatari airspace is now open. We are now awaiting confirmation of the new schedule of our flight,” he said.

Cacdac assured that the government is providing assistance, including financial support, to the OFWs.

Repatriated OFWs are eligible to receive P75,000 under the DMW’s Aksyon Fund and another P75,000 from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Emergency Repatriation Fund.

He also urged the public, especially OFWs in the region, to remain calm and avoid spreading unverified information.

“We echo the call and reiterate the request to be calm but vigilant,” said Cacdac, encouraging OFWs to rely on official channels for updates.

As of the latest count, there are 29,473 Filipinos in Israel and 1,184 in Iran. The DMW and DFA continue to monitor the situation, warning that Alert Level 4 — mandatory evacuation — may be declared if the conflict escalates despite a recently forged ceasefire.

Israel’s war with Iran has entered its second week, with the Israeli military chief warning of a “prolonged campaign” and Tehran halting nuclear negotiations with the US until Israel ceases its attacks.