MANILA – Telecommunications companies have been instructed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to provide free communication services for overseas Filipino workers and their families as conflict tensions intensify in parts of the Middle East.
In a post on social media Monday, Marcos said telecom firms quickly responded by activating a free call program designed to help Filipinos maintain contact with relatives during the crisis.
The initiative will cover Filipinos residing in Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia, countries where thousands of OFWs are currently employed.
According to the President, the government will also put up designated call stations in several business centers across the Philippines so families here can easily communicate with their loved ones abroad.
Marcos emphasized that the program aims to ease the burden on families while allowing them to check on the safety of relatives overseas.
“We want to make sure our kababayans remain connected with their families, provide comfort to each other, and verify their safety without added cost,” he said.
The order comes as Philippine authorities continue to track developments in the Middle East, where escalating military operations and closed airspace have complicated evacuation and repatriation plans.
Marcos earlier urged Filipinos in the affected region to remain cautious and stay in secure locations while the government coordinates with host nations.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Migrant Workers are currently assisting overseas Filipinos and preparing contingency measures, including possible repatriation if the situation worsens.
iamigo/
