The Department of Social Welfare and Development has extended more than ₱11 million worth of assistance and services to 4,398 overseas Filipino workers repatriated or stranded because of the Middle East crisis.
DSWD spokesperson Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao said Monday that the assistance includes livelihood grants, financial aid, medical support, and psychosocial services for returning OFWs and their families.
Of the total, ₱1.135 million was released as livelihood assistance to 57 repatriated OFWs under the agency’s Sustainable Livelihood Program.
“Upang matulungan na magsimulang muli ang mga repatriated and stranded OFWs mula sa Middle East, ang DSWD ay nagbigay ng kabuuang Php1,135,000 worth of livelihood grants sa 57 na bumalik na OFWs ating bansa,” Dumlao said.
The SLP helps beneficiaries access resources needed to start or sustain income-generating activities, allowing returning workers to rebuild their livelihood in their home provinces.
The DSWD also provided more than ₱9.6 million in financial assistance to 1,818 OFWs, while one OFW in crisis received ₱300,000 in medical aid.
As of June 29, Dumlao said the department had delivered 6,588 services to affected OFWs nationwide, including psychosocial first aid, other psychosocial assistance, financial assistance, medical assistance, and livelihood support.
“Patuloy na nagbibigay ng tulong ang Departamento para masiguro na makaka-access ang mga OFWs at kanilang pamilya sa mga programa at serbisyo ng gobyerno para maibsan ang hirap na naranasan nila dahil sa nangyaring kaguluhan sa Middle East,” Dumlao said.
She said DSWD field offices continue to coordinate with returning OFWs and their families for possible livelihood support under the SLP.
“Bukas ang ating SLP program para sa ating mga returning OFWs. Nakikipag-ugnayan ang ating mga Field Offices sa mga OFWs at kanilang pamilya para sila ay matulungan sa programa kung ninanais nilang mag-avail nito,” she said.
The DSWD said the assistance is part of the Marcos administration’s Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport, or UPLIFT, the government’s response framework for sectors affected by the Middle East conflict.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. authorized the UPLIFT framework under Executive Order No. 11, series of 2026, which declared a state of national energy emergency and directed a whole-of-government response to the crisis.