THE Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has declared the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz, and the Gulf of Oman as “Warlike Operations Areas.”
DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said the declaration is in keeping with the decision by the Warlike Operations Area Committee (WOAC) of the International Bargaining Forum (IBF) reclassifying the sea lanes around the Gulf following a surge in attacks on commercial shipping and growing instability in the region.
Under the advisory, Filipino seafarers are granted immediate and significant protections, Cacdac said.
In a video message, Cacdac said the declaration gives seamen the “right to refuse sailing” and decline deployment to high-risk areas before the vessel enters the designated zones.
Seafarers who exercise this right are entitled to repatriation at the company’s expense, along with compensation equivalent to two months’ basic wage.
The advisory also mandates that shipowners implement increased security arrangements equivalent to ISPS Level 3, the highest maritime security alert. This includes 24/7 monitoring and strict access control to ensure the safety of the crew while navigating these volatile waters.
Financial safeguards have been bolstered. Families of seafarers who are killed or injured within the warlike areas will receive twice the usual compensation.
On Sunday, the DMW and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) also announced that another batch of Filipinos was returning from the Middle East to escape the conflict in the region.
The agencies said 65 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and three dependents arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
The latest batch was supposed to fly home last March 3, but their flight was delayed because the airspace in many parts of the region was shut down.
The Philippine Embassy in Lebanon has urged Filipinos to take advantage of the government’s repatriation program.
There are over 14,000 Filipinos in Lebanon, mostly working in Beirut as household helpers. Some of them work as cooks, waiters, salespersons and nurses.
The embassy in Iran reported that the internet connection in Iraq is still down. “No one cannot even receive international calls,” it said.
The embassy in Bahrain urged Filipinos to “avoid public gatherings,” in compliance with the directive of the Bahraini government.
Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander Marcos on Sunday said Speaker Faustino Dy III has asked the chamber’s Committees on Foreign Affairs and on Overseas Workers Affairs to hold a joint briefing on March 11 on the Middle East conflict.
“With a significant number of Filipinos working across the Middle East, it is important that we stay ahead of developments and ensure that the necessary support mechanisms are in place,” Marcos said.
“The House wants to receive a full briefing on the situation on the ground and on the readiness of our agencies to assist our nationals should conditions require government intervention,” he said.
Invited were officials from relevant agencies, including the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and DMW.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Sunday said it has ordered the deployment of a special team to support the repatriation of OFWs in the Middle East.
PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. directed the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) to lead agencies, such as the DMW and OWWA, in ensuring the safe and orderly return of Filipinos from the region.
The team will screen returning OFWs to identify possible victims of illegal recruitment or human trafficking and gather evidence against individuals who may have exploited Filipino workers abroad.
“We will not let our countrymen go home without support from the government. We will make sure that those responsible for illegal recruitment and human trafficking will be investigated and held accountable,” Nartatez said.
During a hearing of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations last week, DMW’s Cacdac and OWWA’s Cunanan requested additional funding to support the repatriation of OFWs stranded in conflict zones in the Middle East.
They said the P1.7-billion 2026 Emergency Repatriation Fund (ERF) may not be sufficient if the conflict escalates and more OFWs request repatriation.
