First batch of Filipinos from West Bank arrives in PH

Two overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who came from the West Bank territory of Palestine have arrived in the Philippines out of fear of the war between Israel and Hamas militants.

The two composing the first batch of repatriates from West Bank arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 past 9 p.m. on Wednesday, according to an Unang Balita report by Bam Alegre.

There are 23 more OFWs who remain in the West Bank, and four of them have signified intention to be repatriated as well.

Nine other OFWs from Lebanon also arrived in the Philippines on Wednesday night, fearing the tension between Israel and Hezbollah militants.

One of them is Chara Jean Amor, who only worked in Lebanon for six months as a domestic worker.

“Nababahala na kami doon kasi nga giyera doon sa south Lebanon kaya na-ano kami na umuwi dahil sa tulong gobyerno,” Amor said.

(We are already worried because there is a war in south Lebanon, so we decided to go home with the government's help.)

“Nasa south [Lebanon] lang ang giyera pero siyempre kung aano, baka mas grabe pa, baka mas malala pa ang mangyayari,” she added.

(The war is only in south Lebanon but of course, it might get worse.)

On October 21, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) raised Alert Level 3 in Lebanon, making the repatriation for Filipinos there voluntary.

Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) officer-in-charge Hans Leo Cacdac said repatriating Filipinos from Lebanon remains a challenge, but they continue to process those who wish to go home.

“Sa Israel kasi caregivers, sa Lebanon karamihan sa kanila mga OFW domestic workers. So mas kailangan pa talagang tutok at pagpaabot-paalam, abiso, paalam sa mga Lebanese employers,” he said.

(In Israel, the OFWs are caregivers, in Lebanon most of the OFWs are domestic workers. So it's really necessary to give notices and ask permission from Lebanese employers.)

The repatriated OFWs will receive psychosocial support and medical checkup from the Department of Health (DOH), P50,000 cash assistance from DMW and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), as well as a livelihood package from Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). —Giselle Ombay/KBK, GMA Integrated News