Natural and man-made disasters strike without warning. And when they do, it is often our Overseas Filipino Workers who are among the most vulnerable.
During the California wildfires, many Filipinos lost their homes, and sought help amid the ashes.
During my first overseas assignment in 2016 as Labor Attaché in Rome, a 6.5 magnitude earthquake struck Norcia. Before dawn, our labor team was on the road assisting Filipinos affected by the earthquake. We spent long hours evacuating more than 30 OFWs, providing food, clothing, and comfort (n what also happened to be my birthday).
This is the commitment of every government worker abroad: to show up for Filipinos in their most difficult hours.
Today, we face another grim situation, this time in the Middle East. The recent outbreak of hostilities between Israel and Iran has brought fear and hardship to our kababayans abroad. On June 19, Iran launched missile strikes that hit Tel Aviv and Beersheba, where many Filipinos reside. Reports from the Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv stated that about 127 OFWs lost their homes, 12 were injured, and over 300 have requested repatriation.
So far, 96 have confirmed, and 31 have returned to the Philippines from Israel, Jordan, Palestine, and Qatar. But many remain there — despite the danger.
Why? Because they have no better options back home here.
Although about 31,000 Filipinos in Israel are working legally, estimates suggest the actual number is between 40,000 to 100,000 — including those undocumented or with expired permits. Their presence there reflects a sobering reality: our Filipino workers would rather live in a war zone overseas than face the lack of decent job opportunities in the Philippines.
Many OFWs stranded in Manila during the airspace closures in Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait expressed the same frustration: they would rather risk going back to the conflict zone than remain unemployed here at home.
This is not just a labor issue — it is a national emergency.
While our embassies and labor offices abroad do their best to ensure the safety of our kababayan, we must ask ourselves: how much longer do we need to continue sending our people to dangerous situations to be able to provide for their families, because they cannot earn a living at home?
What the recent wars, wildfires, and earthquakes have shown is that overseas work, while lucrative for many, comes at great personal risk.
It is time we seriously invest in job creation within our own shores — in the countryside, in emerging industries, in micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and in infrastructure that drives local employment.
Every new job in the Philippines is one less family torn apart, one less parent forced to leave a child behind, and one more reason for our people to stay and build the nation.
For now, while many remain abroad, we urge all OFWs to follow these steps to stay safe:
- For immediate safety: Follow evacuation advice from the Philippine Embassy or consulate, stay informed through local news and government advisories, and have a safety plan with identified safe zones, emergency contacts, and evacuation routes.
2. Precautions: Avoid conflict zones and areas that have various military activities, stay indoors during missile attacks or heavy fighting, and stock essential supplies like food, water, and medical items.
- Communication: Keep family and friends updated on your safety and location, and register with the Philippine Embassy to ensure they can contact you in emergencies.
- Financial preparation: Save enough for essential expenses, and consider insurance that covers conflict-related evacuations.
- Support: Seek help from the Philippine Embassy for guidance and resources, and connect with fellow OFWs through online groups for mutual support.
- Follow host country guidelines: Comply with safety standards and procedures set by the host country.
The lives of OFWs are precious. We praise their resilience and courage — but we must not be content with a system that relies on their sacrifice. Their struggles abroad should be a wake-up call for leaders back home here: to stop exporting labor, and start building livelihoods.
We must bring our workers home — not just through repatriation, but by giving them a reason to stay.
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Author’s email: pligutom@yahoo.com
