The Middle East is once again on the brink. The recent US–Israel offensive against Iran has ignited fears of a broader regional conflict, with ripple effects stretching far beyond the desert borders of the Gulf. For nations like ours, those tremors are not abstract. They reach into our homes through the lives of more than two million Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) living and laboring in that volatile region.

I can almost feel their anxiety — the same fear we heard in the voices of Filipino workers calling from Kuwait during the 2019 crisis, the 2003 Iraq War, the Syrian conflict that began in 2011, and other armed clashes that have erupted in that turbulent part of the world. Having spent much of my public life fighting for migrant protections, I know that every flare-up in the region puts Filipino lives at risk long before it reaches global headlines.

Government agencies mandated to protect OFWs cannot afford indecision. The Departments of Migrant Workers (DMW), Foreign Affairs (DFA), and National Defense (DND) must immediately coordinate crisis protocols and establish a unified emergency response command that prioritizes the following:

1. Maintaining a real-time database of all Filipinos in high-risk countries.

2. Pre-arranging safe evacuation corridors and logistics with neighboring states such as Qatar and the UAE.

3. Activating contingency financing to prevent delays in repatriation flights.

4. Deploying communication hotlines and psychosocial support for affected workers and their families.

Experience has taught me that in situations like these, swift action saves lives; bureaucratic hesitation endangers our kababayans. This latest geopolitical imbroglio has once again highlighted how dependent our country has become on remittances from regions perpetually on the edge of unrest. I say this as someone who celebrate those inflows for sustaining our economy. I do not overlook how OFWs contribute enormously to our country by sending home billions in remittances that help families pay for food, housing, education, and healthcare, while also driving national economic growth. Beyond money, their sacrifices and hard work uplift the country’s reputation abroad and inspire pride at home, which is why they are rightfully honored as modern-day heroes of the nation. But the world has changed, and so must our mindset.

Sending our kababayans to work in volatile regions cannot be an anti-poverty measure. We must begin a strategic diversification of labor deployment — strengthening partnerships with more stable destinations in Asia and Europe while investing at home to create dignified employment that makes migration a choice, not a necessity.

We must also start viewing the protection of OFWs as a core pillar of national security. This means seamlessly integrating security intelligence, diplomatic coordination, and humanitarian logistics into a single framework.

In this shifting geopolitical landscape, the Philippines must rethink its regional stance. Supporting stability, humanitarian treatment, and peace negotiations must define our diplomatic posture. We should actively cooperate with international partners in mediation efforts, promoting dialogue over escalation. Neutrality need not mean silence; it means standing with peace — and standing firmly for our people.

I may be retired from politics, but I have not retired from the beliefs and principles I have espoused in life. I have spent decades helping OFWs in distress and advocating for laws that promote their welfare. I have listened to parents begging for their children to be brought home before another missile lands. I have listened to OFWs who recount horrific experiences with their host families. But I have also listened to OFWs who want to go back to their host country despite all the dangers of abuse and war.

Our workers leave to seek hope, not danger. They have built our nation’s economic resilience with sacrifice and faith. At the very least, they deserve a country that thinks ahead — not one that scrambles after tragedy strikes. The time to act is now, before this crisis deepens into catastrophe. Protecting our modern-day heroes is not only a policy imperative; it is the truest measure of our nation’s strength and compassion.

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