51 Filipinos repatriated from Lebanon

A total of 51 Filipinos were repatriated from Lebanon on Wednesday, according to a 24 Oras report. 

This is the second largest batch of Filipinos who voluntarily asked to be repatriated from Lebanon since the first batch last October 28.

Among the Pinoys who arrived is Vicki Son, a 51-year-old and a first-time Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW). 

She said she could hardly sleep or eat because she could hear the gunfire between soldiers of the Israel Defense Force (IDF) and fighters belonging to the militant Hezbollah group that supports Hamas in Gaza. 

Vicki said she she did not understand the situation in Lebanon and never expected to find herself in the middle of a war.

"Ang aking dalawang anak nag-aaral ng college. Hindi namin kaya sa pinansyal kaya kahit may edad na pinilit ko magtrabaho abroad," she said.

(I have two children in college. We are hard-pressed financially so even at my age I decided to work abroad.) 

Vicki and her fellow repatriates will receive financial assistance from the Department of Migrant Workers, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration and the Department of Social Welfare and Development as well as livelihood training from TESDA. 

She said she will take full advantage of the assistance since she will no longer attempt to work abroad.

"Sisiguraduhin hanggang maka uwi ng probinsiya wala silang gagastusin, hindi mababawasan ang dala nilang pera at madadagdagan pa," said Mary Melani Quino, OWWA. 

A total of 82 OFWs from Lebanon have been voluntarily repatriated. 

This is apart from 28 overseas Filipinos based in Lebanon who have decided to permanently return to the Philippines.