MANILA, Philippines — Three Filipino bishops have urged the Catholic dioceses in the Philippines to support overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), migrants, and their families back home amid the economic crisis following the outbreak of the war with Iran on Feb. 28.
Bishop Socrates Mesiona, chairman of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines Episcopal Commission on Migrants and Itinerant Peoples, said the Church monitors families of overseas workers in parishes nationwide.
This effort enables parishes to provide migrant families with pastoral care and material help, along with government agencies, he said.
Meanwhile, parishes and Church institutions are praying the “Oratio Imperata” (Latin for “Obligatory Prayer”) for peace in the Middle East in all their Masses and prayer gatherings.
Bishop Broderick S. Pabillo of the Apostolic Vicariate of Taytay in the Philippines celebrates Mass at the St. Francis de Sales Mission Station-Halsey, Culion, Palawan, on March 24, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of the Apostolic Vicariate of Taytay
In a message, Bishop Broderick Soncuaco Pabillo, the apostolic vicar of Taytay in Palawan, said migrants and others must trust more in God as the world faces oil crises amid the war in the Middle East.
He urged OFWs not to lose hope in God and support the needs of families in the Philippines.
“It is worrisome that OFWs in the Middle East and their safety and jobs are at risk. The remittances they send to their families will be greatly affected,” he said. “The price of oil and essential commodities is increasing. Let us not lose hope, because we will face this scenario with prayer and faith.”
Bishop Ruperto Santos of Antipolo pronounces the “Declaration of the Diocesan Shrine and Parish of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus” as a national shrine, March 16, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of the Diocese of Antipolo
Another bishop, Ruperto Cruz Santos of Antipolo, urged OFWs to care for their safety with precautions, avoiding risky areas and staying informed about local situations.
“Let us remain vigilant in prayer and steadfast in hope. May our voices rise to heaven, pleading for an end to violence and the coming of lasting peace,” he said.
He advised OFWs in the Middle East to stay indoors and in workplaces, avoid unnecessary travel, and follow instructions from embassy officials and government officials.
Given the current war situation, numerous OFWs face uncertainty, displacement, and separation from their families.
About 2.4 million Filipinos reside in the Middle East, mainly in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Kuwait. They work in construction, health care, and domestic services and are at high risk following the conflicts, which may lead to job loss, reduced income, and increased vulnerability to exploitation.
Nearly 1 million Filipinos live in the UAE, while Saudi Arabia has over 813,000; in Qatar, 250,000; and in Kuwait, over 106,000.
Bishop Socrates Mesiona of the Apostolic Vicariate of Puerto Princesa preaches the homily during the priestly ordinations at St. Joseph the Husband of Mary Parish, Palawan, on March 25, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of the Apostolic Vicariate of Puerto Princesa
The Middle East remains a critical source of remittances for the Philippines, with a large concentration of workers in the Gulf region.
“Since the oil boom in the 1970s, Filipinos have been working there doing various skilled and semi-skilled jobs,” Jeremaiah M. Opiniano, executive director of the Institute for Migration and Development Issues, told EWTN News.
“Like during the pandemic and other episodes of conflict (e.g., Israel and Palestine), naturally affected Filipinos seek shelter. They try to tell their loved ones back home not to worry, but both parties are worried,” he added.
Plight of OPWs
The Philippines heavily depends on the Middle East for oil. The government has declared a state of national energy emergency following a rise in domestic fuel prices, which has impacted industries, transportation, logistics, trade, and agriculture. Moreover, workers and consumers face challenges in the crisis.
Christina Reys, 52, a mother of four adults from the Bicol region, is distressed because her son Rolando, a seafarer, is stuck in the Persian Gulf along with his crew, as their ship carrying oil cannot sail due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
“The ship cannot pass. We are worried for Rolando and his crew. We are seeking divine guidance and protection amid the war,” she told EWTN News.
Since the onset of the war, the crew has remained on the ship, clinging to the hope of returning home.
According to Reys, the local parish is assisting her and her family with material and spiritual guidance, providing food, shelter, and emotional support to help them cope with the challenges they face during this difficult time.
The safety and livelihood of over 2 million Filipinos in the Middle East are at risk as well.
Hans Leo Cacdac, the secretary of the Department of Migrant Workers in the Philippines, welcomes Filipino migrant workers who were stranded in the United Arab Emirates and are back in the Philippines aboard the sixth government-chartered flight that landed at Villamor Air Base in Pasay City on March 29, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Department of Migrant Workers
Repatriation
The government has begun repatriating Filipinos in high-risk areas like Iraq and Syria. As of March 30, as many as 3,347 OFWs from the Middle East returned to the Philippines via chartered flights, according to the Department of Migrant Workers, who said the repatriation efforts will continue for an unforeseen time.
Once an OFW has returned home, the government provides financial aid, medical assistance, and travel fares to the individual’s home province.
If this crisis in the Middle East escalates and jobs are affected, there may be some job displacements and possibly disruptions in sending remittances, said Opiniano, who is also a professor at the Dominican-run University of Santo Tomas.
Stakeholders wishing to assist OFWs in the Middle East can do so by maintaining regular communication, helping their families save for emergencies, participating in repatriation efforts if desired, and continuing to pray.
All the more, families back home may want to maximize their memberships with the Social Security System, PhilHealth, and Pag-IBIG Fund should the family need resources, besides temporary aid from charity organizations and others, Opiniano explained.
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