Manila, March 2 -- Senators on Sunday called for tighter and proactive government coordination to protect millions of Filipinos in the Middle East amid escalating tensions involving Israel, the United States and Iran.

Senator Francis Escudero urged agencies to adopt a unified and anticipatory response, noting that more than 2.2 million Filipinos are in the region, including over 1,100 in Iran.

Escudero proposed activating a coordinated Middle East Crisis Command Center to centralize monitoring and pre-position evacuation assets.

"Such a mechanism is not alarmist but a necessary safeguard, especially for our overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in high-risk areas like Israel and Iran, where mobility may be restricted and communication lines...