March 3, 2026
MANILA – More than a million overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) across the Middle East are facing direct and indirect risks from the escalating conflict in the region, triggered by US-Israel strikes late last month.
As of 2025, there are over 1.113 million land-based OFWs in the Middle East, according to data from the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).
Out of the said count, 1.072 million — or 96.4 percent — are concentrated in five destinations that are geographically and economically connected to the regional conflict.
The largest contingents are in the United Arab Emirates (397,892); Saudi Arabia (386,699); Qatar (160,890); Kuwait (106,364); and Bahrain (21,129).
GRAPHICS: PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER
Based on DMW’s earlier deployment records, nearly 50,000 OFWs have been working in other destinations in the region, including Jordan, Oman, Iraq, Palestine, Egypt, Libya, and Syria, as well as higher-risk areas in Israel and Iran.
Over the weekend, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration advised OFWs to follow security recommendations from Philippine embassies and local officials in their respective areas.
A Filipino caregiver in Israel was killed on Sunday, March 1, as Iran launched a counterattack against US-Israel strikes. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. confirmed the death and identified the victim as Mary Ann Velasquez de Vera of Pangasinan.
Should the conflict escalate more, the Department of National Defense said the Armed Forces of the Philippines is prepared to assist Filipinos in the region, saying that “the protection of our nationals overseas remains a paramount concern.” /mcm