Executive Secretary Ralph Recto convened an emergency meeting on Monday to outline the government’s response to the escalating conflict in the Middle East and its potential impact on overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
Senior officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), and the Department of Economy, Planning and Development (DEPDev) attended the meeting to review contingency measures for Filipinos affected by ongoing airstrikes in the region.
Recto emphasized that safeguarding the welfare of OFWs remains the government’s foremost priority and directed agencies to stay ahead of developments on the ground.
He instructed the DMW and OWWA to ensure that Filipinos in affected areas receive immediate assistance, while also making sure their families back home are adequately supported.
Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac presented contingency plans that may be activated if conditions deteriorate further, assuring that protection and assistance mechanisms would be expanded even before the crisis intensifies.
Meanwhile, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Ezzedin Tago reported that diplomatic and communication lines with Israel, Iran, and other partner nations remain open to facilitate coordination and possible evacuation efforts.
For his part, Economy, Planning and Development Secretary Arsenio Balisacan stressed the importance of anticipating economic spillovers from the conflict, noting that swift and coordinated government action could help minimize potential disruptions.
The emergency meeting was held amid heightened tensions in parts of the Middle East, prompting the Philippine government to reassess its preparedness to protect millions of Filipinos working across the region.