OFWs from the Middle East repatriated to the Philippines | Photo via PCO
MANILA — As many as 4,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) employed in United States military bases across the Middle East are at risk of losing their jobs as the intensifying regional conflict continues to damage American installations and force staffing reductions.
Migration expert Emmanuel Geslani said the threat level in the region has risen sharply following Iranian airstrikes that damaged or destroyed at least 228 structures and pieces of equipment across U.S. military sites. These include hangars, barracks, fuel depots, aircraft, radar systems, communications facilities, and air‑defense equipment, all of which severely disrupt normal operations.
A Washington Post analysis cited in the reports estimated the total damage across 15 military sites at $10 billion to $20 billion, prompting U.S. authorities and contractors to scale down staffing and restrict movement in high‑risk areas.
Bases in Four Countries Employ Filipino Workers
Filipino workers are deployed in U.S. military facilities located in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). These bases host thousands of civilian contractors—many of them Filipinos—working in logistics, maintenance, food services, construction, and administrative support.
Geslani warned that the continued escalation “rendered some of the U.S. bases in the region too dangerous to staff at normal levels,” forcing contractors to consider downsizing or temporarily suspending operations.
He added that OFWs in these bases may soon join the nearly 9,000 Filipinos already repatriated from the Middle East since the conflict intensified.
What Awaits Returning Workers in the Philippines
The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has not yet issued a dedicated plan for OFWs at U.S. bases. Still, officials have repeatedly emphasized that all displaced workers from the Middle East will be covered by existing reintegration, livelihood, and job‑matching programs.
DMW data shows 9,038 OFWs and dependents have already been repatriated due to the broader regional conflict, and the agency has been coordinating with recruitment firms to prepare alternative job placements should mass displacement occur.
The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) typically provides returning workers with temporary shelter, financial assistance, and psychosocial support. While no OFW‑specific advisory for U.S. base workers has been released, officials have said in earlier briefings that all returnees from conflict zones will receive “full government support.”
Economic Impact: A Potential Hit to Remittances
If all 4,000 at‑risk OFWs lose their jobs and return home, the Philippines could face a notable decline in remittances.
While the reports do not include salary data, OFWs at U.S. bases typically earn $1,000 to $3,000 per month, depending on their role and contractor. Using a conservative midpoint estimate of $2,000 monthly, the potential loss in annual remittances could reach $96 million (₱5.5 billion). It is an inference based on typical contractor pay ranges; the cited reports do not provide salary figures.
Economists warn that any significant reduction in Middle East remittances—historically one of the Philippines’ largest sources of income—could affect household consumption and local economies dependent on OFW income.
Government Braces for Possible Mass Repatriation
Geslani said the situation remains fluid but warned that “a large number of OFWs there may be joining” the ongoing repatriation wave if the conflict worsens.
With U.S. bases assessing structural damage and tightening security protocols, thousands of Filipino workers may soon be forced to return home—testing the government’s capacity to absorb displaced workers and provide sustainable reemployment pathways.
