BAGONG Henerasyon Party-list Rep. Robert Nazal on Sunday called for a whole-of-government response to protect the more than 2.4 million overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the Middle East, stressing that “no Filipino must be left behind” as tensions escalate in parts of the region.
“With over 2.4 million Filipinos in the region, even a small escalation can put thousands of lives at risk. We cannot afford complacency,” Nazal said.
Citing data from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Nazal said an estimated 2,443,700 Filipinos are currently in the region, including 975,000 in the United Arab Emirates, 813,000 in Saudi Arabia, 250,000 in Qatar, 211,000 in Kuwait, 56,000 in Bahrain, and 49,000 in Oman.
There are also 31,000 Filipinos in Israel, 41,600 in Jordan (including Palestine), 14,000 in Lebanon, 1,600 in Iraq, 800 in Iran, and 700 in Syria.
Nazal called on the Department of Migrant Workers and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration to ensure that evacuation protocols, repatriation funds, and emergency assistance are ready for immediate activation.
He also urged the DFA to maintain round-the-clock coordination with Philippine posts and Filipino communities abroad.
“Every embassy must be crisis-ready. Every repatriation fund must be accessible. Every OFW must feel the full protection of the Philippine government,” he said.
Nazal said he is prepared to support additional resources or urgent policy measures in Congress, if necessary, to strengthen protection and response mechanisms for OFWs.
“When tensions rise, our responsibility must rise even higher. No Filipino will be abandoned. We will stand by our workers every step of the way,” he said.
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