DFA: 1,000 Filipinos in Lebanon seek repatriation amid rising tensions

About a thousand Filipinos based in Lebanon have expressed their willingness to return to the Philippines in the midst of rising tensions in the Middle Eastern country, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Sunday.

DFA Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega said that of the 1,000 Filipinos, a total of 356 individuals have been repatriated. There are around 11,000 Filipinos all over Lebanon, some of whom are undocumented.

“Hindi pa masyadong interesado ang mga Pilipino na umalis, na lumikas kaya malakas ang panawagan ng ating embahada,” de Vega said in a Super Radyo dzBB interview.

(The Filipinos there are not very interested in leaving Lebanon, that’s why our embassy is strongly appealing to them.)

“Ang mga Pilipino, maximum mga 1,000 lang uuwi diyan, ang nagpahiwatig na gustong umuwi. 300 nakauwi na. May 700 pa na naghihintay na makauwi. Pero tignan natin kung anong magagawa natin para makumbinsing umuwi [ang iba],” he added.

(Only a maximum of 1,000 Filipinos will go home or have indicated that they wish to be repatriated. 300 of them have already returned. There are 700 more waiting to go home. Let's see what we can do to convince the others.)

The Philippine Embassy in Lebanon on Friday night (PH time) issued an advisory to Filipino citizens for them to leave Lebanon immediately while the airport is still open amid tensions between Lebanon-based Hezbollah and Israel. 

The Embassy advised all Filipino nationals in Lebanon  to prioritize their safety and depart the country “as soon as possible.”

Meanwhile, those who are unable to leave Lebanon were urged to evacuate to safer areas outside of Beirut, South Lebanon, and the Bekaa Valley.

According to de Vega, there are no more Filipinos situated on Lebanon's border with Israel. However, there are still less than a hundred Filipinos in towns located in the southern portion of Lebanon.

“Ang iniisip kasi ng mga Pilipino sa Beirut, safe sila do’n dahil hindi naman tumatama ang mga missiles do’n. Opo, pero ayaw natin na nandun sila kapag nag-escalate ang gulo,” he explained.

(The Filipinos in Beirut think they are safe because the missiles are not hitting the capital. That’s true, but we don't want them to be there when the tensions escalate.)

Filipinos who would like to avail of repatriation were asked by the Embassy to fill out a form.

They may also contact the following numbers for further assistance:

• For all OFWs (documented or undocumented): +961 79110729
• For overseas Filipinos (Dependents with Permanent Resident Status, i.e., wife iqama): +961 70858086

The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) also said it is ready to assist Filipinos in leaving Lebanon amid the tensions in the area.—RF, GMA Integrated News