DMW facilitating repatriation of 152 Filipinos from Lebanon

The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) is facilitating the repatriation of more than 150 Filipinos from Beirut, Lebanon amid the crisis in the Middle East, an agency official said Thursday.

DMW Undersecretary Bernard Olalia said a total of 152 Filipinos in four migrant shelters in Beirut are ready for evacuation and repatriation.

"Ibig sabihin, meron na po tayong inaayos na bookings nila sa isang commercial plane," Olalia said in an interview on Super Radyo dzBB.

(This means that we are now arranging bookings for a commercial plane.)

"Ang sistema po kasi, kanselado 'yung mga planes doon at iisa lang po ang gumaganang plane, 'no. Iisa lamang 'yung plane company na puwede," he added.

(Under the system, the planes have been cancelled, and there's only one functioning plane. There's only one plane company that can operate.)

Last Wednesday, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. directed concerned government agencies to mobilize all available assets to ensure the safe and timely repatriation of Filipinos.

Lebanon is still under Alert Level 3, which means Filipinos may opt to be voluntarily repatriated. Under Alert Level 4, the Philippine government will call for a mandatory repatriation of Filipinos.

Assistance

Meanwhile, Olalia said that the government will also extend assistance to the families of Filipinos in Lebanon.

"Isasama rin po natin sa ating pagtulong kasi may mga anak po 'yan na foreigners at may mga asawa nga na Lebanese," he said.

(We will also include them in our assistance as these Filipinos have children who are foreigners and some have Lebanese spouses.)

DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac previously said the government would provide P150,000 financial assistance to Filipinos who would be repatriated.

Olalia said this is separate from the whole-of-government assistance that would be given by other agencies.

He said the DMW also has a reintegration program on financial literacy, livelihood assistance, as well as other trainings.

Over the weekend, Israel dropped bombs on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip in retaliation for Hezbollah rockets that landed in Haifa, Israel's third-largest city located in Northern Israel.

According to Israel, its objective was the safe return of Israeli residents to their homes in Northern Israel. — VDV, GMA Integrated News