Zubiri: Senate Ready to Support Repatriation of OFWs in the Middle East

Senate Majority Leader Migz Zubiri released a statement on Tuesday addressing the situation facing Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in the Middle East, given the escalating conflict between the United States and Iran.

"If ever the President will request for a special session for the need to pass a supplemental budget to help repatriate our kababayans from the Middle East, we in the Senate are prepared to act on his request and can meet at any time in the interest of our OFWs," Zubiri said.

"The President can also utilize for the meantime the billions of pesos of contingency funds in the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, available for repatriation immediately. Those funds are readily available for these emergencies," he added.

"We also support the President's plan to set up a Crisis Committee in charge of the massive plan to bring back our OFWs in case war breaks out between Iran and the US and its allies such as Saudi Arabia, which hosts over a million Filipino workers. That is a gargantuan task, and we would need the support of all our government agencies to be able to bring home such a large number of people. I'm lauding the President's quick action on this rather than just waiting and being reactionary after the crisis actually happens."