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Friday, August 04, 2006
2 Pinoys die while fleeing from war in Lebanon
MANILA -- The Philippine Embassy in Lebanon on Thursday confirmed the death of two Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who died after falling from the buildings they had been staying in.
Although reports of Ambassador to Lebanon Al Francis Bichara did not identify the two fatalities, ABS-CBN television network came up with the names and they were identified as Michelle Tomogan, 23, and Mary Jane Pangilinan, 24, who died last July 26 and July 28, respectively.
Bichara said they received the report about the victims' death from the office of the Directorate General of Interior Security Forces, Mount Lebanon Region. He said the two were allegedly trying to escape from the armed conflict between the Israeli soldiers and Hezbollah militants in the war-torn country when they fell from the buildings.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) would not be disclosing the names of the two OFWs pending the notification of the next of kin by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (Owwa).
Bichara said the embassy is now arranging for the return of the remains of the two OFWs via Damascus International Airport.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo said the department is deeply saddened by the death of the two Filipino workers.
"We are deeply saddened by this development and convey our heartfelt condolences to the families of the two OFWs. We shall work even harder and faster to bring home our Filipino nationals from Lebanon in order to secure them from the dangers of this conflict," he said.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, during a roundtable discussion on strategies to reintegrate OFWs returning from Lebanon in Malacañang, said the mandatory evacuation to be led by Task Force Lebanon headed by Vice President Noli De Castro must be conducted now when there is still a chance "as we are determined to keep a zero-casualty rate in anticipation of the Israeli Defense Forces' intensified attacks."
Arroyo wanted concerned authorities to knock on every door in Lebanon if necessary to ensure that no Filipinos would be left behind. She also asked the public to pray for the safety of Filipinos who are still in Lebanon.
She assured there is enough fund for the operation. "In a war that is increasing in breadth and tempo, Task Force Lebanon will undertake all means to get Filipinos to safety. Including those who don't want to move or those facing problems with their employers," she said.
Owwa Administrator Marianito Roque said it would take at least three months to evacuate the rest of over 30,000 Filipinos still trapped in Lebanon. He said the Owwa and the DFA will work together to hasten the repatriation of Filipinos in the area.
He assured that Philippine authorities are prepared to negotiate and convince Lebanese employers of OFWs, most of them working as domestic helpers, apartment managers, and other authorities to ensure that Filipinos would be allowed to evacuate.
He said they are also sending other welfare officers based in other parts of the Middle East to assist in the location and evacuation of the remaining OFWs.
Recruitment agencies cautioned the government from forcibly evacuating all OFWs in Beirut.
Lita Hizon, president of the Philippine Association of Mediterranean Agencies Deploying Labours Inc. (Pamadel), said the decision might gain negative reaction from OFWs who are aware of the situation and condition in Lebanon. "The domestic helpers who are still in Beirut and Northern Lebanon might object to the order and refuse to leave despite the present danger there," she said.
She added that the situation might just end up like the case in Iraq when the government decided to evacuate OFWs and only a few voluntarily went to the embassy to be repatriated.
"This situation is reminiscent during the height of the Iraq violence where the government tried to evacuate OFWs working inside US bases amidst the Angelo de La Cruz brouhaha and Middle East Preparedness Team head Roy Cimatu tried in vain to convince 5,000 workers in those heavily secured US bases for voluntary repatriation," Hizon noted.
DFA spokesman Gilberto Asuque said some 450 OFWs comprising the 21st batch of repatriated Filipinos were scheduled to arrive at 4 p.m. Thursday on board Orient Thai Airways flight OEA 7447 at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) Terminal 1.
Another 450 OFWs were due on Sunday aboard OEA 7448 at 8:30 a.m.
"By the 22nd batch, we should have a total of 3,073 returnees from Lebanon, but this figure is still subject to revisions," Duque said.
President Arroyo assured that even if there are undocumented Filipinos in Lebanon, the government was able to find them with the help of their fellow OFWs.
Arroyo said that during one of her talks with some of the returning OFWs, she learned that some employers who leave their homes order their Filipino employees to remain and watch over the house.
Due to the experience, she announced that the Philippines would no longer send any OFWs to Lebanon and other countries where there maybe pending war or similar dangers. She said the ban on sending of OFWs is not new as this continues to be observed in Iraq.
She also said the Philippines should start amending its policies particularly on the sending of domestic helpers abroad. She said if they have to send more Filipinos to work as maids, the government must first ensure that they would go to good employees and they would get better pay and benefits.
Augusto Boboy Syjuco, chairman of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda), said domestic helpers might be given additional training skills under the "Super Maid" program.
Syjuco said returning OFWs from Saudi Arabia, some of them even imprisoned and released only after the President's visit last May, are now under the program, which is also open to returning OFWs from Lebanon.
He said other OFW domestic helpers that benefited from the program include those who have worked and continued to work in Hong Kong and Singapore. He said the program included first aid and emergency training.
The President assured returning OFWs there are enough employment and assistance awaiting those who prefer to return to the country. She said that while there are some OFWs who were evacuated to Syria who now opted to work in Dubai instead of returning to Manila, those who would be repatriated back could avail of livelihood assistance aside from the skills training program.
Labor Secretary Arturo Brion, for his part, said some of OFWs, after being evacuated to Syria, were asked to register and fill out some forms that assessed and profiled them according to their skills and possible jobs that they may acquire both in Manila and in other countries.
Brion said there are some who found jobs in Dubai and after the Philippine government processed their papers, they would be flown to Dubai instead of Manila. He said the labor attaché of Amman had also informed them of possible job vacancies for OFWs as well as the Bahrain Government.
He said those who chose to return to Manila, however, are immediately included in the labor department's reintegration program for OFWs which include the arrival and adjustment services and employment services component.
He said the first part includes airport arrival formalities where they are welcomed and they undergo profile assessment, domestic transport where they are assisted on their return to their provinces, temporary shelter and stress debriefing, psychosocial and medical assistance.
The second component refers to livelihood and entrepreneurial assistance where they could avail of funding to set up their businesses; skills training and PGMA training for work scholarships where they could get additional training to ensure better employment; and job search for local employment and reemployment for overseas work.
Social Welfare Secretary Esperanza Cabral also assured that they are capable of providing stress debriefing to OFWs especially those who are under emotional trauma following their experience in Lebanon, while National Livelihood Support Fund Executive Director Lina Amata said there is a P100 million fund which could be used to allow OFWs to start their businesses.
President Arroyo said she would issue an executive order repealing a previous issuance limiting the provision of loans to government financial institutions. She said the new order would allow agencies like the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to extend the loans.
Presidential Management Staff (PMS) Chief Arthur Yap said one livelihood program that OFWs could invest in is the "Tindahan Natin" program, which has helped in providing job and at the same time affordable goods like rice, noodles, sugar, canned goods, milk, and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita asked the private sector to help the government in providing jobs for the returning OFWs from Lebanon. He said he would ask the economic managers to talk to some business groups to realize the proposal. (ECV/JMR/MSN/Sunnex)
(August 4, 2006 issue)
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