Manila: The Quezon City government has created a dedicated task force to strengthen assistance for its residents who are overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the Middle Eastern regions that are affected by the escalating conflict. In a news release Wednesday, the city government said through Executive Order No. 5 s-2026, Mayor Joy Belmonte established Task Force AGAP-QC OFW, or the Assistance, Guidance, Advocacy, and Protection of QCitizen Overseas Filipino Workers.
According to Philippines News Agency, Belmonte stated that the task force would lead the city's coordinated efforts and response for migrant workers in the Middle East, and their families back home. "Our city government is closely coordinating with national government agencies to ensure that they receive the assistance and protection they need. We urge our fellow QCitizens abroad to remain vigilant and prioritize their safety as the situation continues to unfold," she said. "We want to assure our QCitizens in the Middle East that they are not alone during this time of crisis."
Belmonte explained that the initiative aims to ensure that OFWs from QC receive immediate assistance and protection as tensions in the region continue to affect Filipino workers abroad. She highlighted that the QC Public Employment Service Office (QC PESO) is now in close coordination with the Department of Migrant Workers in monitoring developments, facilitating possible repatriation, and delivering support to affected workers.
The Task Force AGAP-QC OFW is also tasked with providing a range of services for affected workers and their families, including crisis response, psychosocial support, job matching, skills retooling, livelihood assistance, and access to overseas employment opportunities in non-conflict areas. "The task force will also streamline referrals to social protection services and other city government programs to ensure that OFWs and their families can quickly access the assistance available to them," Belmonte noted.
The city government is preparing other forms of support for OFWs whose deployment was affected due to flight cancellations and restricted airspace. QC data indicates that there are around 1,400 QC residents currently living and working in Middle Eastern countries, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Israel, Lebanon, and Jordan.
OFWs and their families seeking help may coordinate with the QC Migrant Resource Center (MRC), under the QC PESO, which serves as the city's one-stop help desk providing information services, case assistance, psychosocial support, and referrals to government programs. Belmonte, meanwhile, urged QCitizen OFWs to follow advisories from Philippine embassies and concerned government agencies in their host countries to keep themselves safe.
