Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Chairman Sen. Erwin Tulfo on March 1 called on the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) to implement a recovery plan for Filipino workers whose Middle East deployment was cancelled following joint US and Israel airstrikes on Iran.

Tulfo expressed concern not only for OFWs already in conflict-affected areas but also for those who had been preparing to leave for work abroad and were forced to stay behind due to the escalating unrest.

"While we are concerned about our fellow Filipinos caught in the conflict in countries affected by the airstrikes in the Middle East, we also call on the DMW and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration to pay attention to Filipinos who were about to leave the country for work but had to stay due to the ongoing unrest," Tulfo said.

The senator noted that many of those affected came from provincial areas, making their situation more difficult as they had likely already made financial and logistical preparations for their departure.

Tulfo proposed tapping the P2 billion AKSYON Fund (Agarang Kalinga at Saklolo para sa mga OFW na Nangangailangan Fund) to provide immediate financial assistance to displaced workers. The fund was specifically designed as an emergency relief mechanism for distressed OFWs.

The United States and Israel launched joint military operations against Iran on February 28, further escalating tensions across the Middle East region.