Middle East war: Winners, losersThere will be no winners in this ongoing war that has upended the world, perhaps even more than the COVID-19 pandemic did, despite the bravado and bluster of the US and Israel. OFW remittances, 18 percent of which come from the Middle East, will surely tumble and translate into slower spending in the Philippines. In the report, migrant groups raised alarm about the kafala system in the Middle East, which ties Filipino workers to their employers who often keep the OFWs’ passports. Silver liningFor perpetrators of the flood control mess, however, this deadly and brutal war seems to be a silver lining. Meantime, one cannot blame the public for losing interest in the scandal as the more pressing concerns on the impact of Middle East war creep into our daily lives.

Source: Philippine Star March 14, 2026 17:31 UTC