Photo shows the empty departure hall at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv on June 13, 2025 after Israel closed its air space to takeoff and landing. (Courtesy of the Jewish News Syndicate)
Despite the reported ceasefire deal between conflicting countries Iran and Israel, deployment of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to both destinations has been suspended, according to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).
Prior to the suspension, United States president Donald Trump announced on social media that Israel and Iran have agreed to a “complete and total ceasefire” to be phased in over 24 hours. However, there was no immediate reaction from both countries to Trump’s ceasefire announcement.
The US president disclosed on Truth Social that the ceasefire would bring an “Official END” to war, a major change in the hostilities that follows a US strike over the weekend that ‘obliterated’ three Iranian nuclear sites in Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz.
In spite this, Iran launched 19 missiles against the US Ai Udeid Air Base in Qatar in retaliation to the American bombings. No casualties were reported.
The number of missiles differed from a figure given by Trump, who said 14 missiles were fired, 13 were knocked down and one was “set free.” The State Department lifted the “shelter-in-place” warning to Americans in Qatar that it issued ahead of the Iranian missile launches. The embassy in Doha, which had also instructed official personnel to stay inside, revoked the guidance in a statement after nearly all of the missiles were intercepted and Iran signaled there would be no more.
Meanwhile, migrant workers secretary Hans Leo Cacdac clarified that with the raising of Alert Level 3 in Israel and Iran, his department will issue the corresponding notice for a total deployment ban.
“We note the pronouncement by the DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs), first on the matter on the raising of the alert levels in Israel and Tehran. So we take note of that and of course, if it’s alert level 3, that will mean a total deployment ban,” Cacdac stated in an online press conference.
Prior to the imposition of the total deployment ban, Cacdac noted that the Philippine government had already issued an advisory discouraging OFWs from proceeding to Israel and Jordan following exchange of missile attacks between Israel and Iran.
Asked about the possibility of raising alert levels in Saudi Arabia and other Middle East countries after the United States bombed Iran, Cacdac said the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) will rely on the political and security assessment of the DFA.
Regardless of the alert level, Cacdac gave assurance that the Philippine government will help OFWs who want to be repatriated and will provide them with financial and other appropriate assistance.
Cacdac said the Philippine government will be providing similar assistance to Filipino seafarers on board ships docked in Iran.