PALACE REJECTS VP SARA’S CLAIM ON EASY OFW REPATRIATION

Malacañang Palace dismissed Vice President Sara Duterte’s suggestion that the government could simply send airplanes to bring home distressed overseas Filipino workers from the conflict-hit Middle East. Palace press officer Claire Castro said large portions of the region’s airspace remain closed after being declared a combat zone, making such flights currently impossible. She explained that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. warned that sending aircraft under these conditions could endanger Filipinos as airstrikes continue in several areas. Despite these limitations, the Department of Migrant Workers reported that 649 Filipinos have already been repatriated through seven flights since March 5. The government continues to coordinate safe exit routes while ensuring the safety of overseas Filipino workers.