The Philippine government has successfully brought home more than 10,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), their dependents, and stranded Filipinos from the Middle East as tensions in the region continue to escalate, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) announced.
In a statement released on May 25, 2026, the DMW reported that as of May 24, a total of 10,129 Filipinos have returned to the country through coordinated efforts involving the DMW, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (Owwa), the Department of Foreign Affairs, and Philippine embassies and consulates.
Of the total repatriated, 7,988 were OFWs, 1,779 were dependents, and 362 were stranded Filipinos affected by the ongoing unrest in the Middle East. The government emphasized that the repatriation initiative is part of a whole-of-government approach to ensure the safety, orderly return, and immediate assistance for Filipinos caught in the crisis.
Beyond repatriation, the DMW said at least 34,188 OFWs and affected Filipinos have received financial aid and emergency assistance, following the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to provide swift and compassionate support to Filipinos overseas.
The government has also continued delivering onsite assistance to affected workers and their families in host countries. According to the DMW, these services include 23,345 food assistance, 7,697 transport assistance, 2,491 shelter assistance, and 2,427 medical assistance. In total, the government has provided 70,148 onsite services covering various forms of welfare and emergency support for OFWs and their loved ones.
The DMW and Owwa also announced they are strengthening reintegration and welfare programs to help returning OFWs recover and rebuild their lives upon returning to the Philippines. Authorities assured the public that repatriation and assistance operations remain ongoing as tensions in parts of the Middle East continue to affect Filipino workers and communities abroad.
