As tensions continue to rise in the Middle East, thousands of Filipinos remain caught in the uncertainty.
Now, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) says it stands ready to help bring them home—but officials stress that careful coordination is crucial.
According to a report by Chino Gaston on “24 Oras” Tuesday, the AFP confirmed it can deploy military aircraft or vessels if needed to assist in repatriating Filipinos stranded in the region.
But the operation will not be simple.
“There are a lot of intricacies in conducting these kinds of operations,” said AFP spokesperson Colonel Francel Margareth Padilla.
She explained that the AFP cannot act alone.
Any large-scale repatriation effort would require a fusion of efforts among several government agencies, including the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), and the Department of National Defense (DND).
Only with clear directives and strong coordination can such an operation move forward safely.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Air Force emphasized that the current situation is far more complicated than previous crises.
Air Force spokesperson Colonel Ma. Christina Basco pointed out that comparisons to the COVID-19 repatriation efforts are not entirely accurate.
“This requires careful coordination since this involves a wartime conflict,” Basco explained.
Unlike the pandemic, which was mainly a health emergency, the current crisis involves active military tensions and restricted airspace, making the movement of people and aircraft far more delicate.
Safety, she said, must remain the top priority.
The urgency of the situation is becoming clearer across the region.
On March 8, both Japan and France successfully repatriated their nationals from Oman as the conflict intensified.
According to the Oman News Agency, airports across the Middle East have been overwhelmed with stranded travelers following a dangerous exchange of drones and missiles between Iran and the United States–Israel alliance.
The disruption has been massive.
An estimated 37,000 flights to and from the region have been canceled since tensions escalated on February 28.
Other countries are already moving quickly.
The United Kingdom has sent chartered flights to Dubai to bring stranded British nationals home.
For the Philippines, efforts are already underway.
Malacañang confirmed that around 400 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) have already returned home.
More are expected to follow.
Another 20 Filipinos from Dubai and 16 from Egypt are scheduled to arrive in the Philippines on a commercial flight Tuesday evening.
Meanwhile, two chartered flights from Saudi Arabia are set to depart on March 14, with another chartered flight expected from the United Arab Emirates.
But government officials say the priority is not simply rushing people onto flights.
Instead, the immediate focus is moving Filipinos to safer locations first before arranging their journey back home.
DMW Secretary Hans Cacdac explained that the process involves close coordination with host countries.
“The host countries and our side together, we go with our processes and systems on how to send people home,” Cacdac said.
This can include booking passengers on available commercial flights or even transporting them through land crossings to reach safer departure points.
For now, officials continue to monitor the rapidly changing situation.
Behind every decision is a single goal: ensuring that Filipinos caught in the crisis return home safely.
