THOUSANDS of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) employed inside United States military bases across the Middle East could soon lose their jobs as escalating conflict in the region continues to cripple key American installations, migration expert Emmanuel Geslani warned on Tuesday.
He raised the alarm amid growing uncertainty after Iranian strikes reportedly damaged or destroyed at least 228 structures and equipment in various US military sites since the war erupted.
A Washington Post analysis of satellite imagery estimated the destruction across the affected bases could reach between $15 billion and $20 billion, highlighting the scale of devastation caused by the attacks.
Military officials said the threat of continued Iranian airstrikes forced American commanders to drastically reduce operations in several bases considered too dangerous for normal staffing levels.
As a result, Geslani said many military personnel, contractors and civilian workers were relocated to safer areas outside the range of potential attacks shortly after hostilities intensified.
Among those affected were an estimated 3,000 to 4,000 Filipino workers employed by international contractors inside 19 US military bases scattered across the Gulf region and other parts of the Middle East.
Department of Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac confirmed that Filipino workers stationed in the affected bases were evacuated to safer locations at the onset of the conflict.
The US Department of Defense traditionally relies on international contractors to help operate major military facilities overseas, with Filipino workers long regarded as among the most dependable employees due to their English proficiency, technical expertise, and familiarity with American systems and equipment.
A US official also described the situation at the Naval Support Activity in Bahrain as “extensive,” noting that the base, home to US Central Command operations in the region, may remain inaccessible for troops, contractors, and civilian employees for an extended period.
