Manila, March 9 -- President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has ordered telecommunications companies to provide free communication services to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and their families as tensions continue to escalate in the Middle East.

In a social media post on Monday, Marcos said telecommunications firms responded by activating a "libreng tawag" (free call) program to help Filipinos stay connected with their loved ones amid the crisis.

The program will cover Filipinos in Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia, where thousands of OFWs are based.

Marcos said the government would set up free call stations in selected business centers across the country so families in the Philippines can ...