DAVAO CITY, 25 March 2003 — Except for those Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) that arrived from Kuwait before the beginning of United States led strike on Iraq, very few OFWs from the Middle East have since availed themselves of the programs and services prepared by the government.

Various action centers have been set up in the country to assist incoming OFWs from the Middle East, yet officials noticed the government’s contingency plans continue to be underutilized.

Centers were set up in Manila, Cebu and Davao, but it appears only Manila has seen any use.

In the cities of Davao and Cebu, sources said not one OFW has sought yet the assistance of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) for problems caused by the war.

In Cebu, OWWA official Mario Oville said OFWs in the Middle East don’t seem to be keen on coming home to avoid the war in the Iraq.

On the contrary, hundreds of families have been trooping to free phone call centers set up nationwide in coordination with the Philippine National Bank (PNB), Philippine Long Distance Telephone (PLDT) and Globe Telecom, to call relatives working in the Middle East.

The trend proves that families over here are more in a panic than the OFWs near the war zone. “Who wouldn’t panic if the Philippine media didn’t air all these frightening stories about the war in Iraq?” said Manang Fely, who has a son in Riyadh.

Manang Fely was apparently referring to round the clock war coverage of local TV networks in the country and the screaming headlines of broadsheets and tabloids about the war in Iraq.

Rival channels GMA Channel 7 and ABS-CBN both sent reporters to Baghdad to cover the war, with their reports warning of life threatening US air strikes on the lives of the OFWs.

Among popular broadcasters who recently visited the war zone, Mike Enriquez and Karen Davila both made scary accounts upon their return.

Several family members making calls to the Middle East were seen crying over the phone, urging their loved ones to hurriedly return to the Philippines.