MANILA, Philippines — As the conflict in the Middle East enters its fourth day, experts warn that the crisis is a “direct economic fault line” for the Philippines, given the region’s role as the primary engine for overseas Filipino employment and remittances.
The Middle East hosts the largest concentration of Filipinos in the world, with over 1.11 million land-based overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
- Concentration: More than 50% of all deployed overseas workers are located in the Middle East. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) alone hosts nearly 1 million Filipinos.
- Remittance Impact: In 2024, cash remittances from the Middle East reached $6.13 billion, accounting for nearly 18% of the country’s total. Saudi Arabia and the UAE are the top contributors, sending home $2.22 billion and $1.52 billion, respectively.
Dr. Alicor Panao, an associate professor at the University of the Philippines, emphasizes that the conflict is far from an “abstract confrontation.”
- Household Vulnerability: Over 95% of remittance-receiving households use the funds for basic necessities like food. Any disruption to Gulf labor markets or shipping lanes directly threatens the food security of millions of Filipino families.
- Macroeconomic Uncertainty: While remittances comprised 7.5% of the Philippines’ GDP in 2024, they fell to a 25-year low of 7.3% in 2025. A protracted war could trigger “business contractions” that would further suppress these vital inflows.
While about 100 Filipinos in Dubai and Israel have expressed a desire to return home, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) states there is no order for mass repatriation yet. President Marcos has noted that a large-scale evacuation is not currently feasible but remains a contingency option.
- Middle East: 1,110,000+
- Asia: 730,847
- Europe: 102,520
- Oceania: 44,379
- Americas: 28,324