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According to Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac, 26 are processed for repatriation and will be on a flight home on Monday, June 23
MANILA, Philippines – A total of 223 Filipinos have requested repatriation amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
This comes after the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) raised both Iran and Israel to Alert Level 3, implementing a voluntary repatriation of Filipinos based in the two warring countries. According to Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac, 26 have been processed for repatriation and will be on a flight to Manila on Monday, June 23.
“I’ll be coming home with a group of 26. There will be an added small group of OFWs (overseas Filipino workers) — about three of them from Jordan, and there will be one from the West Bank — so that brings the total [to] 30 who will be joining the commercial flight tomorrow for Manila,” Cacdac said in a press briefing on Sunday, June 22.
Philippine officials welcomed the first batch of OFWs from Israel on Sunday morning. The OFWs, Cacdac said, have been working in Israel for years as hotel workers and caregivers.
From Israel, they crossed over the Allenby Bridge to the Jordanian side, the King Hussein Bridge. All arrived “in good spirits.”
The next batch of repatriation will be composed of over 30 OFWs.
“We’re still confirming a number — around 55. The rest, we are still trying to confirm whether they indeed want to come home. Some of them admittedly are having second thoughts, but 33 stand to be the second batch and counting,” Cacdac said.
Upon arriving in the Philippines, each repatriated OFW will receive financial assistance worth P150,000. They will also receive vouchers from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority for any training and upskilling they may need for employment.
The government will also provide them with psychosocial counseling, on top of a post-arrival medical checkup.
Back in Israel, Philippine authorities have given either food packs or financial assistance to 104 Filipinos, while 53 are in hostels and shelters of the Migrant Workers Office.
The Filipina caregiver who was previously in critical condition following airstrikes is now stable, although Cacdac noted she still needs “some support.”
There are about 30,000 OFWs based in Israel, while Iran is home to only less than 30 OFWs.
Most of the 1,100 Filipinos in Iran are spouses and children of Iranians. The Department of Foreign Affairs said 8 Filipinos in Iran — 7 OFWs and 1 tourist — have already requested repatriation.
On June 19, the Philippines already temporarily suspended deployment of OFWs to Iran, Israel, Jordan, and Lebanon.
“With the [updated] Alert Levels, we will issue the corresponding notice to all about the total deployment ban for Israel and Iran,” Cacdac said.
DFA ‘greatly concerned’
The DFA on Sunday expressed concern over recent developments in the MIddle East including US action on Iran:
“The Philippines is greatly concerned over the developments in the Middle East in these last few
hours.
We strongly urge concerned parties to take the path of diplomacy and avoid further escalation of
this conflict that could threaten regional and international peace and security.
The welfare and safety of Filipinos in the region are of primordial concern, and the Philippine
government will relentlessly continue to advance and prioritize their protection.
The Philippine Embassies in the region stand ready to provide necessary assistance to Filipinos
in their jurisdictions.
The Philippines continues to reiterate the need for a peaceful and diplomatic solution to this crisis.”
– Rappler.com
