OFWs share narrow escape from missile strike on Tel Aviv hotel

Amid the ongoing barrage of long-range ballistic missile attacks by Iran on Israel, several Filipino hotel workers in Tel Aviv shared their close call from harm.

Requesting they remain anonymous, the workers shared videos with GMA Integrated News showing the aftermath of some of the strikes after they emerged from a bomb bunker where they sought shelter. The footage reveals the extensive damage to the hotel where they worked.

Shattered glass and debris littered the lobby and other parts of the establishment. The elevator had collapsed and the quarters where the workers resided were destroyed.

In the video, the Overseas Filipino Workers could not help but feel emotional after seeing the  destruction: “Ayan na yung mga sunog oh….Tignan kwarto natin… Ayan, ay Jusko Lord… Hala yung kwarto ko, hala ate yung kwarto mo, hala jusko Lord yung kwarto ko, sa amin talaga!!” (“There’s the fire… Look at our room… Oh my God, my room! Sis, your room! Oh Lord, it’s really our room!”) 

They were also shocked to see the effects of the attack on their workplace:“First floor pa lang to..ay jusko Lord! Bumagsak yung elevator! Huh? Ayan oh, nabagsak!”

(“This is just the first floor… Oh my God! The elevator collapsed! Look, it really fell!”)

Impact

In an interview with GMA Integrated News, Michelle, one of the workers, shared her close brush with death. A resident of Tel Aviv for the past three years, she said while she’s used to airstrikes, she said these latest attacks are far more intense: “Nung time po na sumabog, nandun kami sa shelter. Narinig namin yung kalabog, nakita namin yung pagyanig ng dingding, ng kisame, yung alikabok. Lahat yun naranasan namin.”

(“When the explosion happened, we were hiding in the shelter. We heard a loud bang, we felt the walls and ceiling shake, and the dust came down. We experienced all of it.”)

Michelle added: “Doon na kami talaga kinilabutan ng sobra, na kung hindi kami bumaba, wala na kami ngayon. History, kwento na lang.”

(“That’s when we were really terrified. If we had not gone down, we would not be here now. We would have been history. We’d just be a story.”)

Even the staff of the Philippine Embassy in Israel felt the force of the blasts—something they had not experienced in years. 

Ambassador Aileen Mendiola-Rau told GMA Integrated News: “Yung iba-ibang banging sound, yung loud bangs, until such a point na meron mga, at least mga dalawa na malaking, malakas na malakas na loud bangs. Tapos, mararamdaman mo yung foundation ng embassy, yung Chancery Building, na medyo gumalaw, yung parang nag-vibrate. So, since June 13, ngayon lang namin naramdaman yung ganoon. Na may impact.”

(“There were various banging sounds, very loud bangs, and then two extremely powerful ones. You could feel the embassy’s foundation, the Chancery Building, shake and vibrate. Since June 13, this is the first time we’ve felt something like that. It had real impact.”)

As of last night, Israel and Iran have officially been placed under Alert Level 3 due to over a week of retaliatory airstrikes. Under this alert level, Filipinos are strongly encouraged—but not yet required—to return home.

Despite the fear and trauma, many Filipino hotel workers told GMA Integrated News they are not yet ready to join the repatriation program. 

Michelle explained: “Ang reason ko kasi bakit ako agad siyempre nagsabi ko umuwi, siyempre, yung una yung takot ko. Pero nung nalaman ko na hindi pa pala ganun kabilis ang process din, kasi siyempre, kapag umuwi ka ng Pilipinas, makakatanggap ka ng halaga, sabihin na natin na P150,000, ilang weeks mo lang siya magagamit, mag-a-apply, sana ko kukuha ng source, saan ko kukuha ng panggastos ko? So yun yung mga reasons kung bakit hindi agad kami makauwi. Dahil hindi ganun kadali din kung mag-apply ka ulit sa ibang bansa.”

(“My first instinct was to go home because I was scared. But then I realized the process isn’t that fast. If I return to the Philippines, I might receive around P150,000, but that won’t last long. I’ll need to apply again—where will I get money in the meantime? That’s why we can’t just leave. It’s not easy to start over in another country.”)

Another worker, Ricasol, added: “Syempre po susunod lahat kami doon yun nga lang, hinihiling talaga namin sa government natin na sana nga, kaming mawawala ng trabaho dito sa Israel if mandatory yung pagpapauwi sa amin is kami talaga yung ma-priority na mabigyan nila kasi apektado po talaga.”

(“Of course, we’ll obey if it becomes mandatory. But we’re asking the government to prioritize those of us who will lose our jobs here in Israel. We’re really affected.”)

If the situation escalates to Alert Level 4, which would mean mandatory repatriation, OFWs have a clear request: “Okay lang naman na umuwi kami ng Pilipinas at dumaan ng process. Pero yung i-sure na meron kaming employer na pwedeng ma-applyan agad sa Europe, okay yun. Mas panatag ang loob namin na umuwi kasi kumbaga ang paghihintay ng proseso ng paglipat ng bansa ng employer, eh hindi ganun katagal.”

(“We’re okay with going home and going through the process. But we hope there’s an employer we can apply to right away in Europe. That would give us peace of mind, knowing we won’t have to wait too long to work again.”)

As of now, the Philippine Embassy in Israel reported that 191 Filipinos have requested repatriation. However, only 26 have confirmed and are currently being processed for land travel to Amman, Jordan. 

There, they will be received by the Philippine Embassy and Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac, who is currently in the Middle East.

These 26 OFWs are now in shelters and are expected to leave Israel at any moment.

Meanwhile, one critically injured Filipino who underwent surgery remains in the intensive care unit and may need another operation once stable, according to the Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv.

Additionally, 88 Filipinos in Israel have lost their homes due to missile impacts and are currently staying in shelters being rented by the Philippine government. —RF, GMA Integrated News