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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Gov't offers to repatriate Filipinos willing to come home from Israel, Iran

Gov't offers to repatriate Filipinos willing to come home from Israel, Iran

Published Jun 21, 2025 12:16 am
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has officially raised crisis alert level 3 in Israel and Iran, enjoining all Filipinos staying there to return to the Philippines, following the continuous exchange of airstrikes between the two Middle East countries.

The Israeli Iron Dome air defense system fires to intercept missiles during an Iranian attack over Tel Aviv, Israel, early Wednesday, June 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
The Israeli Iron Dome air defense system fires to intercept missiles during an Iranian attack over Tel Aviv, Israel, early Wednesday, June 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
The announcement was made on Friday night, June 20, a day after DFA Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega said that they were waiting for DFA Secretary Enrique Manalo to sign the approval recommending the updated alert level status.

“The Department of Foreign Affairs has raised the alert levels in both Israel and Iran to ALERT LEVEL 3 (Voluntary Repatriation) effective immediately,” the advisory read.

“All overseas Filipinos (OFWs) in Israel and Iran are enjoined to return to the Philippines,” it added.

The DFA furthered that “travel by Filipinos to both these countries is highly discouraged, due to the ongoing crisis and the actual closure of their air space and seaports.”

“The Alert Levels will be subject to periodic review, taking into consideration the situation on the ground,” the DFA said, expressing hopes “that parties will cease hostilities soon.”

This announcement came after the repatriation of 21 Philippine government officials in a study program in Israel this week via the King Hussein Border in Jordan. With air space in Israel closed, foreigners leaving the country can only do so by crossing the border Israel shares with neighboring Jordan.

From Jordan, repatriates can take a flight to Manila via either Dubai or Qatar.

The DFA said in its advisory that overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who wish to be repatriated voluntarily with assistance from the Philippine government can coordinate with the respective embassies: the Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv can be reached through its 24/7 hotline emergency number +972 54 466 1188 or via email at [email protected], while the Philippine Embassy in Tehran can be reached via +989 12 213 6801 or [email protected].

De Vega earlier said that there are 1,000 to 1,200 Filipinos in Iran, most of which are residents there and married to Iranian nationals. There were only 14 OFWs there who wished to go home.

Filipinos in Iran would have to go through Turkmenistan, which is 12 to 13 hours away from Tehran, in order to get home.

In Israel, there are about 30,000 Filipinos, with 178 expressing their interest to be repatriated. This number adds to the 1,300 Filipinos there who have already been repatriated since the war broke out between Israel and Hamas in Gaza last October 2023.

The escalating violence between Israel and Iran started on June 13 when Israel missiles hit Iran’s nuclear site, causing Iran to retaliate with its own airstrikes on Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.

Related Tags

Israel-Iran attacks DFA Alert Level 3 voluntary repatriation
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