By CESAR JOLITO III

Bacolod City’s help desk for overseas Filipino workers (OFW) has recorded a surge in requests for assistance, receiving a total of 44 calls, amid growing uncertainty over the security situation in the Middle East.

Mayor Greg Gasataya said 37 of these calls were immediately referred to concerned national government agencies for appropriate action.

According to the city government, a significant number of callers are OFWs currently staying in Bacolod City, either on vacation or after the completion of their employment contracts.

Many of them are now facing an uncertain return to their overseas jobs due to heightened tensions in parts of the Middle East.

Some workers also sought assistance in contacting relatives and understanding the support available to them during the crisis.

Gasataya assured affected workers that the city is working on concrete measures to address their concerns.

“We will come up with a plan on how they can be assisted,” he said, emphasizing the local government’s commitment to ensuring the welfare of stranded OFWs and their families.

He added that Bacolod’s initiative is aligned with ongoing national efforts to protect Filipino migrant workers.

At the national level, the Department of Migrant Workers and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration have intensified measures to safeguard affected OFWs.

Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said the two agencies are closely coordinating with the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Department of National Defense, and host governments across the Middle East.

Cacdac said the inter-agency coordination focuses on assessing the evolving security situation in host countries and preparing for the possible repatriation of OFWs who wish to return to the Philippines./CJ, WDJ