50 more Pinoys in Israel could be repatriated this week — DMW

Fifty more Filipinos in Israel could be repatriated this week as tension in the Middle East continues, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said Tuesday.

During a press briefing, DMW Undersecretary Felicitas Bay said the second batch of repatriation in Israel is “tentatively scheduled” on June 26 or 27.

“(They will be) following the same route as the first batch, but with what happened last night with the closure of the Qatar airspace, our embassy and Migrant Workers Office are working out arrangements for another route,” Bay said.

The first batch of Filipinos is expected to arrive Tuesday night around 7 p.m. after it was delayed due to the temporary suspension of Qatari air traffic after Iran attacked a US military base in Doha.

DMW Secretary Hans Cacdac earlier said the 31 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are composed of 26 from Israel, three from Jordan, one from Palestine, and one from Qatar.

According to DMW Undersecretary Dominique Rubia-Tutay, 19 of the 26 OFWs repatriated in Israel are caregivers, while seven are hotel workers.

Bay also said 311 Filipinos requested repatriation in Israel.

“Wala pa pong confirmed if they finally decide to be repatriated,” Bay said.

(There's no confirmation yet if they have finally decided to be repatriated.)

The DMW had said there are about 30,000 Filipinos in Israel.

Last week, the Philippine government raised the crisis alert to level 3 in Israel and Iran, urging Filipinos in the affected areas to take advantage of the voluntary repatriation as armed hostilities between the two countries continue.

Chartered flight for Pinoys in Israel

The DMW and OWWA are also looking at arranging a chartered flight to repatriate Filipinos in Israel following the temporary suspension of Qatari air traffic.

“In coordination with the DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs), we (OWWA and DMW) are checking or we are studying and considering having a chartered flight given the situation,” Bay said.

However, she added they are still considering the airspace restriction before settling on a chartered flight.

Twenty-six of the 31 Filipinos exited Israel via crossing the land border into Jordan since flight operations are currently suspended.

More calls since Crisis Alert Level 3

According to OWWA, it has received 35 calls for assistance since the Philippine government raised the Crisis Alert to Level 3 in Israel and Iran.

The following calls came from the following countries:

• 14 Israel
• 10 Jordan
• 3 Iraq
• 3 Iran
• 2 Qatar
• 1 worldwide (seafarer), already repatriated
• 1 Africa
• 1 Kuwait

OWWA said those needing assistance may reach out via these contact details:

• If within Metro Manila: 1348
• If outside Metro Manila: (02) 1348
• If outside the Philippines: +632 1348

OWWA administrator Patricia Yvonne Caunan also warned the public against spreading fake news about the ongoing tension in the Middle East, which aims to scare people or to go viral.

“Gusto namin i-remind sila na medyo seryoso ang situasyon ngayon. Buhay ng mga OFWs ang nakasalalay (we want to remind them that the situation is serious. The lives of OFWs are at stake),” Caunan said.

She urged the public to follow the social media accounts of OWWA, DMW, DFA, and their respective embassies as they give real-time updates. — RSJ/RF, GMA Integrated News