I extend my deepest condolences to the family of Mary Ann de Vera, our kababayan who lost her life amid the escalating conflict in the Middle East. No Filipino should have to pay the ultimate price simply because she sought honest work to provide for her loved ones.
In the short term, our government must act with urgency to ensure the safety of every Filipino in the affected regions. This must be our foremost priority. I echo calls for the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Migrant Workers to ensure that contingency and evacuation plans are fully operational, and for the said agencies to provide direct, proactive communication with our OFWs in vulnerable areas.
Beyond the immediate crisis, however, lies a deeper, chronic, long-term challenge.
For decades, millions of Filipinos have left home not because they wanted to, but because they felt they had to. They braved distance, uncertainty, and in some cases instability, simply to earn a living. This tragedy reminds us that while we honor the sacrifice of our OFWs, we must also confront the reality that many leave for regions that are economically promising yet geopolitically fragile.
Our long-term response must therefore focus on development at home — sustained job creation, stronger local industries, competitive wages, food and energy security, and real opportunities in our provinces. We must build an economy where working abroad is a choice, not a necessity—because our countrymen deserve a choice.
A choice to stay close to their families without sacrificing dignity or opportunity. A choice to pursue prosperity without placing themselves in harm’s way. A choice to build their future here in the Philippines if they so wish.
We will continue to honor and protect our overseas Filipino workers. But the greater tribute we can offer them is to build a nation strong enough that leaving home is no longer the only path to a better life for their family.
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