The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) warned that additional funding may be needed to support the repatriation of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in a worst-case scenario in the Middle East.
DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said the current budget can cover repatriation needs under present conditions, but a surge in requests could quickly exhaust resources.
The Emergency Repatriation Fund (ERF), managed by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), currently has around P1.5 billion available, enough to repatriate roughly 10,000 OFWs at an estimated cost of P150,000 per worker.
With about 2.4 million Filipinos in the Middle East, a small increase in repatriation requests could create a funding gap of hundreds of millions, potentially exceeding P2 billion if numbers rise sharply.
Both DMW and OWWA said they are ready to provide detailed simulations and cost estimates to Congress to support discussions on supplemental funding.
Source: PhilNews24 | March 8, 2026
DMW SAYS EXTRA FUNDS NEEDED FOR LARGE-SCALE OFW REPATRIATION FROM MIDDLE EAST
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