PH Embassy in Beirut preparing for possible mass repatriation, DFA says

The Philippine Embassy in Beirut is already preparing for possible mass repatriations for Filipinos in Lebanon amid the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Wednesday.

“Ang Embassy po natin doon [our Embassy there] led by Ambassador Raymmond Balatbat... has been coordinating naman with the Filipino community in taking the steps necessary to initiate mass repatriation in case the need arises, the violence multiplies and it start affecting those neighborhood where there are Filipinos,” said DFA Assistant Secretary Robert Ferrer in an interview on Super Radyo dzBB.

Ferrer, however, emphasized that Philippine authorities do not wish to impose a mandatory repatriation in Lebanon yet, as many Filipinos there do not want to evacuate themselves.

Currently, Alert Level 3 remains hoisted in Lebanon, meaning Filipinos there may repatriate voluntarily.

Alert Level 4 may be raised, calling for a mandatory evacuation once there is a “large-scale internal conflict or full-blown external attack” in an area.

The DFA said that there are more than 11,000 Filipinos in Lebanon, majority of them are female household service workers.

So far, over 500 Filipinos have already returned to the Philippines from Lebanon, while 1,205 more have signified intent to be repatriated in the past 48 hours, according to the DFA.

The Philippine Embassy in Beirut has been urging Filipinos to evacuate while commercial flights are still available amid the continued exchange of rockets between Israel and Hezbollah.

The DFA official also affirmed that no Filipinos there have been reported hurt or killed amid the continued hostilities.

“Natutuwa kami dahil wala pa, salamat sa Diyos, malaking pasasalamat sa Diyos, wala pang Pilipinong nasaktan doon sa successive waves ng atake ng Hezbollah sa Lebanon, including this one neighborhood in southern Beirut na tinatawag na Hezbollah enclave,” Ferrer said.

(We are happy and we thank God because no Filipino has been hurt in the successive waves of Hezbollah attacks in Lebanon, including this one neighborhood in southern Beirut which is claimed to be a Hezbollah enclave.)

“The DFA wants to reassure everyone that the Philippine Embassy sa Lebanon at ang mga opisyal natin dito sa Maynila ay ginagawa ang lahat para magkaron ng kaligtasan ang mga kababayan natin doon sa Lebanon,” he added.

(The DFA wants to reassure everyone that the Philippine Embassy in Lebanon and our officials here in Manila are doing everything to ensure the safety of our compatriots in Lebanon.) --Giselle Ombay/ VAL, GMA Integrated News