Philippines mulls raising alert level in some areas in Israel

Filipinos in Israel continue to deal with rocket attacks prompting them to rush to shelters and, in the case of employees in high-rise hotels, in stairwells which are said to be strong and safe.

According to JP Soriano's report on "24 Oras," the Department of Foreign Affairs is looking into raising the alert level in some areas of the country now at war with Hamas.

“Maari sigurong gawin by level, by area. Doon Alert Level 3, doon Alert Level 2 after the discussion with the President," Undersecretary Eduardo De Vega said.

(Perhaps we can raise the alert level by area. Alert 3 in one area. Alert Level 2 in another after discussion with the President.)

Israel is at present under the DFA's Alert Level 2. There is still no repatriation but there is no more deployment of newly hired Filipino workers.

Alert Level 3 entails voluntary repatriation.

Overseas Filipino worker Dayanara Maullon said the attacks are starting to affect their mental health.

“Siren pa lang nakakanerbyos, nakakatakot. Siren pa lang napakalakas na, tapos after ng tunog ng siren ayan nagbo-boom. Nakaka-ano rin sa mental health namin,” Maullon said.

(Even the siren makes us nervous. It's scary. The siren is quite loud and after its sound, there's the explosion. It takes its toll on our mental health.)

OFW Dayanara Maullo, an employee at a hotel in Israel, shared what she and other staff had to go through after another round of rocket attacks foiled by the country's Iron Dome defense system.

In a cellphone video Maullon took, persons can be seen sitting on the stairs, which are said to be the strongest part of a building.

This developed after they heard the alert siren warning of another rocket attack.

Persons on the street when the alert goes off have to drop to the ground and cover their heads.

The authorities said there was still no confirmation that the two missing Filipinos had been taken by Hamas.

Efforts to locate them have proceeded.

Meanwhile, some OFWs in Gaza have headed over to the Rafah Border Crossing in hopes of allowed entry to Egypt. —NB, GMA Integrated News