OFWs from Israel get P20,000 in food, cash aid

MANILA, Philippines — Some P20,000 in food and cash aid awaited 60 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who arrived in the country yesterday afternoon from Israel, according to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

Social workers from the DSWD Central Office and the National Capital Region Office, led by Program Management Bureau director Miramel Garcia-Laxa, were among the parties that waited for the migrant workers who were repatriated from Israel.

The 60 OFWs were the fourth batch who came home. They arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 aboard Etihad Airways from Tel Aviv, Israel to Abu Dhabi, then to Manila.

Two infants joined the OFWs, of whom 32 are hotel workers while 28 are caregivers.

Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) officer-in-charge Hans Leo Cacdac said this group’s arrival has brought to 119 the total number of OFWs who have returned to the Philippines since Palestinian militant group Hamas launched combined rocket, ground, sea and air attacks in southern Israel last Oct. 7.

Cacdac noted that about 185 Filipinos have requested repatriation from Israel. The DMW is looking at more or less 65 to 70 more Filipinos to be repatriated.

Cacdac said the government has enough funds to cover repatriation expenses.

The returning OFWs were also each offered a repatriation assistance package worth P50,000 from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration.

The amount can be used to address the daily needs of their families.

There are around 30,000 OFWs in Israel, “99 percent of them are caregivers while the rest are hotel workers,” according to the DMW.

Meanwhile, 124 OFWs from Lebanon have also expressed willingness to return home to avoid the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah militants.

The government is pushing for the repatriation of some 17,000 from Lebanon within the week.

Rally

In a related development, cause-oriented groups led by Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) will hold a rally today at the Israel embassy in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City in protest of the armed conflict in Gaza Strip.

Bayan president Renato Reyes said the protest is to condemn the Israeli government’s continuing attacks and bombings in Gaza Strip to flush out Hamas militants.

At least 8,000 people have been killed on the ongoing conflict in Gaza, according to Reyes, citing news reports.

He said that the protest would take place days after the Philippine government abstained from a United Nations General Assembly resolution calling for a humanitarian truce and the protection of the civilian population.

Israel imposed a communications blackout in Gaza after it started its ground war operations.

“Protesters will hold the Israeli government accountable for the humanitarian crisis and genocidal attacks in Gaza,” Reyes said. — Emmanuel Tupas