Approximately 1,000 individuals are currently seeking refugee or asylum status in the Philippines, the Department of Justice (DoJ) said on Thursday, as reported by BusinessWorld .
DoJ Refugees and Stateless Persons Protection Unit Chief State Counsel Dennis Arvin L. Chan made the announcement during a media briefing at the agency’s headquarters in Manila, coinciding with the observance of National Refugee Day 2026.
The Philippines, as a signatory to international refugee conventions, processes asylum claims through the DoJ’s unit, which evaluates applications based on well-founded fear of persecution in applicants’ home countries.