4th Filipino fatality in Beirut blast was undocumented OFW, says Bello

The Philippine government has yet to identify the fourth Filipino fatality from the Beirut, Lebanon blast last week because he or she was an undocumented worker, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said Monday.

In an interview on Dobol B sa News TV, Bello said the three other fatalities have already been identified.

They were from Zamboanga del Sur, Isabela, and Guimaras.

“‘Yung pang-apat, hindi natin ma-identify dahil undocumented po ito. Pumasok sa Lebanon na hindi documented OFW,” Bello said.

Forty-seven other Filipinos were injured in the massive explosion but the Labor chief said they have all received medical attention.

Some OFWs in Beirut and the remains of the four fatalities will be repatriated on August 16.

A second repatriation flight on August 20 will bring home the Filipino seafarers who earlier went missing.

Meanwhile, Bello said there are still over 200,000 applications pending for the Abot Kamay ang Pagtulong (AKAP) program for OFWs even after the Department of Labor and Employment received a P1-billion augmentation.

“Kaya nga humingi kami ulit and ang bilis talaga tumugon ng ating Pangulo pagdating sa OFW. Agad agad, ‘Sige, okay na ‘yung request ninyo pero kunin ninyo na doon sa binigay naming P5 billion repatriation fund,’” Bello said.

He projected that a “little less than P2 billion” would be taken from the repatriation fund for the AKAP program, which grants cash aid to OFWs.

“Ang nakapending kasi sa AKAP mga 200,000 plus pero hindi naman lahat ‘yan magka-qualify,” Bello explained.

He added that OFWs may receive cash and livelihood assistance from the government through the National Reintegration Program.—AOL, GMA News