President Marcos said the government is arranging chartered flights to bring home overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who wish to return to the Philippines amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

Speaking to reporters in New York before departing for Manila on Tuesday, March 10 (New York time), the President said the government continues to monitor the situation and is preparing evacuation arrangements for Filipinos who want to go home.

“And to protect them… we have to depend on the locals, the local authorities dahil wala naman tayong military doon, wala naman tayong police doon, wala naman tayong courts doon (because we do not have military, police, or courts there),” he said.

He noted that OFWs are being assisted and protected by the governments of the countries where they are working.

“They are being kept safe by the governments, the countries where they have been working,” the President said.

Marcos said the Philippine government’s main option is to facilitate the return of Filipinos who choose to leave the affected areas.

“Ang maaari lang nating gawin ay iuwi ‘yung mga gusto nang umuwi (What we can do is bring home those who want to return),” he said.

To support this effort, the government is planning charter flights from key locations in the Middle East.

Marcos said one flight is being arranged from Riyadh to carry Filipinos from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Bahrain. Another chartered flight is being prepared from Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates to transport OFWs based in Dubai and nearby areas.

The President said government personnel from the Department of National Defense (DND) and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) may also be deployed to assist in the operation.

Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Hans Cacdac is also expected to take one of the flights to Dubai to personally assess the situation and coordinate assistance for Filipino workers in the region.

Marcos said several groups of Filipinos are already crossing land borders to reach safer areas where they can board the planned evacuation flights.

A group from the UAE was expected to arrive later in the day, while another group of 16 Filipinos from Israel was scheduled to arrive the following night.

The target departure of the chartered flight from Fujairah is on March 13, with arrival in Manila expected later that evening or early morning of March 14.

In a separate presser, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Claire Castro stressed that ensuring the safety of Filipinos remains the government’s primary concern before conducting large-scale repatriation operations.

She said President Marcos is closely monitoring the situation and weighing the risks posed by continuing air attacks in the region.

“Inalala ng Pangulo ang maaaring danger kung agad-agad maililipad ang ating mga kababayan kung patuloy ang pagbobomba o ‘yung mga air attacks sa pagitan ng mga bansa na kinapalolooban po sa Middle East (The President considered the possible danger if our compatriots are flown out immediately while bombings or air attacks continue in the Middle East),” Castro said during a press briefing in New York on Monday.

Castro said the government immediately convened a special Cabinet meeting after tensions escalated in the region.

“Agad-agad nagpatawag ang Pangulo ng meeting at doon napag-usapan kung paano maire-repatriate ang ating mga kababayan mula sa Middle East (The President immediately called for a meeting where discussions focused on how to repatriate our compatriots from the Middle East),” she said.

She noted that the DMW has already facilitated the return of around 400 overseas Filipino workers and their dependents.

The returning Filipinos were welcomed and assisted by personnel from the DMW and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration upon their arrival in the country.

Government agencies continue to coordinate efforts to ensure the safe evacuation and assistance of Filipinos affected by the conflict.