ISRAELI President Isaac Herzog personally conveyed his condolences to the husband of Mary Ann de Vera, the Filipino caregiver killed by an Iranian missile strike.
Herzog received Bernie Lavarias at the Beit HaNassi (President’s House) in Jerusalem on Thursday and assured him he would receive financial assistance and a monthly stipend under Israel’s compensation program for war victims through the national insurance system.
“On behalf of the State of Israel, I send my deepest condolences to Mary Ann’s family and the entire nation of the Philippines,” Herzog said.
The Philippine Embassy in Israel said the president shared that his family once had a Filipino caregiver and noted that many Israelis regard Filipino caregivers as part of their families.
Herzog expressed gratitude to the Filipino community for their compassion, dedication, and contributions to Israeli society, especially during the conflict.
Philippine Ambassador to Israel Aileen Mendiola, who accompanied Lavarias, thanked Herzog for the support extended to the bereaved family.
She also conveyed the grief of the Filipino community over the loss of De Vera and five other Filipinos who perished during the war with Iran last year and the Oct. 7 attacks.
Mendiola underscored the importance of ensuring that workplaces of Filipino workers are equipped with accessible shelters to safeguard their safety during emergencies.
She expressed hope that peace would prevail to prevent further loss of innocent lives.
De Vera was accompanying her elderly ward to a shelter in Tel Aviv when she was hit by shrapnel from a retaliatory Iranian missile strike after the US and Israel launched a joint military operation on Tehran on Feb. 28.
The embassy said Lavarias accompanied his wife’s remains on a flight to Manila that departed Thursday night. / PNA