Kin of OFW killed in Beirut blast appeal for help from gov’t

Still in shock, the bereaved kin of a 33-year-old Filipino household service worker who was killed in the massive explosion in Beirut, Lebanon appealed on Wednesday for help from the Philippine government to bring her remains home.

According to JP Soriano’s report on “24 Oras,” Ardel Maglangit’s body was found covered in shattered glass inside the home of her employer after the blast.

“Isa po siyang nasawi kahapon sa pagsabog do’n sa Lebanon. Kawawang kawawa po ang aking kapatid. Ako po’y nanghihingi sa inyo ng tulong, sa gobyerno ng Pilipinas na sana mapauwi na po ‘yung aming kapatid,” her sister Liezel Ramos said.

“Labis po ang aming paghihinagpis sa nangyaring ito. Hindi po namin madaling matanggap. ‘Di namin alam kung saan kami hihingi ng tulong. Sobrang sakit na nabalitaan namin na ganito ang nangyari sa kanya at sana makauwi agad ang kaniyang mga labi dito,” Grecila Bustamante added

Maglangit’s daughter Nikki was looking forward to her mother’s return to the Philippines that was scheduled for this year.

“Mama kung nasaan ka man ngayon… sana gabayan mo po kami palagi na malampasan namin ‘tong lahat ng paghihirap sa ngayon,” the daughter said through tears.

Overseas Workers Administration administrator Hans Leo Cacdac earlier said the remains of Maglangit and another Filipino casualty will be repatriated

The Philippine Embassy in Beirut said at least eight other Filipino domestic workers in the Lebanese capital were wounded.

One of them was Sulit Salvador, who was working when the blast happened.

“Tatayo sana ako at sisilipin kasi may narinig akong biglang pagsabog. Bigla na lamang nagtalsikan ‘yung mga bubog, ‘yung main door namin na salamin pabagsak sa amin ng alaga ko kaya sinalo ko,” she said.

“Shock na shock talaga ako. Hindi ko alam. Hindi ako nakaramdam ng sakit o ano pa man no’ng oras na ‘yun pero ‘yung katawan ko ay duguan na ako,” Salvador added.

Another Filipina said the blast felt like the world was ending.

“Sa sobrang takot tumakbo na kami kasi hindi ko alam na akala namin katapusan na namin ‘yun. Nakakatakot po talaga. Hindi na po talaga safe,” Nary Antonette Olita said.

Some 33,000 Filipinos are living in Lebanon, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs. -Julia Mari Ornedo/MDM, GMA News