DMW activates Middle East Help Desk for OFWs amid Israel-Iran tensions

The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has activated a 24/7 Middle East Help Desk for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and their families due to tensions between Israel and Iran.

Those in need can contact the DMW-OWWA at 1348 within the Philippines or +63 2 1348 from abroad, with emergency contacts including numbers for the Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv, Beirut, and Amman, as well as local Migrant Workers' Offices.

DMW advises OFWs to remain indoors, stay alert, and connect with their respective host country's embassy or MWOs for updates, emphasizing the importance of verifying information before reporting incidents.

Israel recently launched airstrikes on Iran targeting nuclear facilities and missile sites, prompting Iran to fire back and declare it a 'declaration of war'.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian urged the government to prepare for potential repatriation of OFWs from Iran, Israel, and Iraq if tensions escalate, emphasizing the need for livelihood assistance and health services including mental health support.