‘We can’t sleep’: OFW describes life in Lebanon amid Israeli strikes

Thick smoke continues to blanket parts of Beirut, Lebanon, based on footage taken by an overseas Filipino worker (OFW), "Glenda," amid ongoing tensions in the region.

According to Glenda, the situation in recent days has remained volatile, with persistent aerial activity and explosions disrupting daily life.

“Hindi pa rin po sila tumitigil. Tapos po every day po yung drone sa taas lagi nung ikot nang ikot. Hindi kami makatulog. Nagpapasabog pa rin po sila. Ganon pa rin po ang sitwasyon. Hindi pa rin po matahimik.”

“Kahapon po yung last. Pero yung pinaka-ano po nung Sunday. Malakas. Marami. Apat na beses.”

(They still haven't stopped. Every day the drones are always circling overhead. We can't sleep. They are still blowing things up. The situation is still the same. It's still not tranquil."

While the US and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire, US ally Israel maintained that stopping attacks on Lebanon is not part of the agreement. On Wednesday, Israel carried out its heaviest strikes on Lebanon since its conflict with Hezbollah broke out last month, even as the Iran-aligned group paused attacks on northern Israel and Israeli troops in Lebanon under the ceasefire.

Consecutive explosions shook Beirut, sending smoke billowing across the capital, as Israel's military said it had launched the largest coordinated strike of the war. 

Glenda, one of the estimated 14,000 Filipinos currently working and living in Lebanon, said fear and anxiety remain constant.

“May pangamba pa rin kami, nerbyos, ganun, dahil syempre hindi nga kasali dito. Lagi naman kami nagpe-pray, sana naman po maano po yung magbago yung isip ng taga-Israel, sana po makasama kami para maging matahimik na rin po dito. Lagi kami puyat, hirap pa sa trabaho, puyat pa kami lagi, dahil po sa mga naririnig namin, nag-iingat din po kami.”

(There is still fear and anxiety, because Lebanon is not part of the ceasefire. We are always praying, and hoping that Israel will change their mind, so that it will become peaceful here as well. We are always sleep-deprived and have trouble at work because of everything we hear. We are trying to be careful.)

The Philippine government continues to maintain Alert Level 3 in Lebanon, urging Filipinos to avail of voluntary repatriation.

The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said at least eight chartered flights are scheduled to bring home Filipinos affected by the unrest across the Middle East.

Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac said that tensions in other parts of the Middle East, particularly in Gulf states, remain a concern.

“Pero ang isang banta rin kasi yung sa Gulf states. Kasi kapag alam naman natin, for the last five weeks or so, na ang banta sa Iran ay meron ding banta sa Gulf states at ilang mga bansa sa Israel. Kaya’t meron din tayong milyon ang minamanmanan ang sitwasyon kasi nando-doon ang malaking volume ng OFWs natin,” he said.

(There is also a threat to the other Gulf states from Iran. So we are monitoring the situation because there is a large volume of OFWs in the affected areas.)

He reiterated the importance of following local regulations and advisories issued by host governments.

"Kaya’t makinig at merong mga ilang inanunsyo na mga curfews, merong mga inanunsyo na advisories ang ilang host government," Cacdac said.

"So, samu’t sari all across the Gulf, kaya patuloy lang ang ating pagmamanman ng sitwasyon sa larangan na ito at syempre yong one-country team [approach] headed by our ambassadors. Also, on top of the situation in terms of monitoring and advising our people to abide by host country rules and regulations, kasabay nito may mga hotlines din. Kani-kanilang hotlines ang embahada at ang migrant workers offices natin.” 

(Heed the curfews and the advisories of the host governments. And all across the Gulf, the Philippine government continues to monitor the situation and use the one-country team approach headed by our ambassadors. Also, our embassies and migrant workers offices have hotlines [that Filipinos may call].)— BM, GMA News