47 Filipinos from Lebanon return to PH 

A total of 45 overseas Filipino workers and two children from Lebanon returned to Manila on Thursday afternoon amid the ongoing hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah.

According to Raffy Tima’s report on “24 Oras” on Thursday, the Filipino repatriates arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport via Kuwaiti Airlines at 5 p.m. 

Some of the Filipinos who returned home came from the southern part of Lebanon which is the target of Israeli forces. 

The repatriates will be provided with livelihood assistance, skills training, and P150,000 worth of other assistance from various government agencies. They will also be provided with psychosocial interventions, the report said. 

There are now a total 525 Filipinos and 30 dependents who have been repatriated through the government’s voluntary repatriation program. 

The Department of Migrant Workers said that more Filipinos in Lebanon will arrive this week, which includes the 200 others whose documents are being processed by Lebanese authorities. 

“364 have set flights, tickets, so they are braced to come home on different flights,” said DMW Secretary Hands Cacdac. 

Meanwhile, some OFWs are also contemplating returning to the Philippines because they are illegally residing in Lebanon. 

Evacuation remains voluntary as the Department of Foreign Affairs has yet to raise the situation in Lebanon from Alert Level 3 to Alert Level 4. 

“Hindi ako mambobola sa inyo, hindi ko mapapangako that masasagip namin lahat kayo 100% kung may full gera. Kaya habang ngayon may eroplano pa, please take advantage,” said DFA Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega.

(I will not beat around the bush, I cannot promise you that you will all be rescued when there is already a full war. So while there are still flights available, please take advantage of them.) 

The DMW is also planning to raise the amount of financial assistance to encourage Filipinos in conflict zones like Lebanon to avail of the repatriation program.—Vince Ferreras/LDF. GMA Integrated News