DMW says it must ‘properly time’ repatriations amid Israel-Iran conflict

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The Department of Migrant Workers is “definitely ready” for a mass evacuation of overseas Filipinos from Israel, with Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac stressing that it is a matter of “carefully assessing the situation,” including air space, to arrive at a proper timing.

“Nakahanda tayo. Pero di pa isinasagawa at this stage. Hindi pa ito yung tamang panahon na… Dapat itong isa-ayos nang maige, lalo na sa gitna ng putukan o hidwaan. Kailangang tantiyahan nang maige yung ating pagpakakaruon ng repatriation. But definitely, we are ready,” Cacdac told GMA News Online.

(We are prepared. But we are not yet doing it at this stage. This is not the proper time yet. This should be done carefully, especially in light of the ongoing fighting. We need to time the repatriation carefully. But definitely, we are ready.)

Cacdac was in the city on Friday, June 14 to attend Philippine Independence Day celebrations held at Dubai World Trade Center (DWTC) participated in by approximately 40,000 Filipinos and their children.

Cacdac urged families in the Philippines to check on their relatives in Israel through the DMW's hotlines.

“Ang mahalaga sa ngayon ay malaman ng mga kababayan natin na meron silang madudulugan,” he said.

(What is important at this moment is for our fellow Filipinos to know that they have somewhere to reach out to.)

Cacdac said a help desk has been organized with the hotlines posted online on June 14, a day after Israel launched a strike on Iran.

“Nagpapa-alala tayo sa mga kababayan natin na yung Middle East help desk natin ay patuloy na tatanggap ng tawag…ang ating 1348 hotline ay pwedeng dulugan ng anuman tulong, yung mga kamag-anak sa Pilipinas na nais malaman ang status o katayuan ng kanilang mahal sa buhay ay pwedeng dumulog sa ating hotline,” he said.

(We are reminding our fellow Filipinos that our Middle East help desk will continue receiving calls through the 1348 hotline for them to seek help. Relatives in the Philippines who wishes to know the situations of their loved ones [in Israel] may do so by dialing the hotline.)

According to the DMW secretary, there are approximately 30,000 Filipinos in Israel. “Sa Iran ay 30 lang yata. Marami ruon kasal sa Iranians,” Cacdac said. 

(There are around 30 Filipinos in Iran. Many are married to Iranian nationals.)

War between Israel and Iran has continued to escalate with the ongoing exchange of a barrage of missile attacks, two days after Israel launched an early morning large-scale strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities and military infrastructure. The attack was launched in the early hours of Friday, June 13. — BM, GMA Integrated News