DSWD prepares for returning OFWs amid rising Middle East tensions

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said Monday that it has coordinated with government agencies to assist in repatriation efforts for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) affected by the Israel-Iran tensions.

DSWD Spokesperson and Undersecretary Irene Dumlao said the department was instructed by President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. to work with the Department of Migrant Workers and the Department of Foreign Affairs to track the status of OFWs in the region.

She added that the department is ready to offer existing programs to displaced workers if returning to the Philippines becomes the best option.

“Mayroon po tayong iba’t ibang mga intervention na maaaring mabigay sa kanila pagdating nila rito sa bansa. Nandyan ang ating mga Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) na isang social safety net program para sa mga distressed and in crisis nating mga kababayan,” Dumlao said.

Aside from financial assistance, the DSWD will provide psychosocial support to help returning OFWs cope with potential trauma or stress related to the ongoing conflict.

As of Monday morning, 2 March 2026, the President confirmed the first reported death of an OFW linked to the regional tensions. The victim, identified as Mary Anne Velasquez, a 32-year-old caregiver from Basista, Pangasinan, was killed by shrapnel from an airstrike in Israel.

Government agencies continue to monitor developments in the Middle East following the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Sunday, 1 March 2026.