Senator Raffy Tulfo on Thursday called on his colleagues in the Senate to approve his proposed measure providing employment and reintegration support for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) returning to the country, particularly those affected by escalating tensions in the Middle East.
“Once they come home, what is in store for them? This is where the importance of reintegration comes in,” Tulfo said during a Senate migrant workers committee hearing, which he chairs.
He emphasized the urgency of the National Reintegration Bill, also known as the “Bagong Balikbayan Act.”
“The National Reintegration Bill or the proposed ‘Bagong Balikbayan Act’ is… truly timely that we pass it now, especially in light of developments such as the Middle East crisis,” Tulfo added.
Filed on February 11 as Senate Bill No. 1839, the measure seeks to establish an “integrated, full-cycle, and sustainable reintegration framework for all returning OFWs.”
It envisions coordinated assistance through agencies like the Department of Labor and Employment, particularly in securing jobs and livelihood opportunities.
Tulfo highlighted the measure’s importance, noting that more than 2.4 million OFWs in the Middle East could face job losses if mandatory repatriation becomes necessary amid the ongoing U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict.
While no evacuation orders have been issued, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. earlier reported that over 1,400 Filipinos had already expressed their intent to return, with more than half coming from the United Arab Emirates.
Tulfo noted that the measure is among the priority initiatives identified by the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council, though it was not included in the 21 priority bills approved on February 10 or in the 44 measures under the Common Legislative Agenda for the 20th Congress adopted in September 2025.