THE Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has successfully repatriated six more overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from crisis-hit Lebanon, bringing the total to 10.
In a television interview, DMW Officer-in-Charge Undersecretary Hans Leo Cacdac on Friday, November 3, 2023, said six more OFWs were brought home at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 via Emirate Airways flight EK336.
"Earlier today (Friday), the second batch from Lebanon of six OFWs have arrived. The first batch of four OFWs arrived last Saturday. In all, we have 10 OFWs from Lebanon that were repatriated," Cacdac said.
He said that another 35 OFWs in Lebanon are currently undergoing repatriation.
In total, Cacdac stated that 185 OFWs in Lebanon have requested repatriation.
"In Lebanon, majority are domestic workers. We have to talk to individual employers to clarify the repatriation efforts for our OFWs," Cacdac said.
Based on government data, there are 17,000 Filipinos in Lebanon.
Over the past weeks, tension has escalated between Israel and the Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon.
Israel repatriation
The DMW said two more batches of OFWs from Israel are scheduled to come home next week.
Cacdac said the fifth batch of 23 OFWs and sixth batch of 27 OFWs are set to arrive in two separate flights on Monday and Tuesday, respectively.
"That's 50 OFWs arriving by Monday and Tuesday. They are the fifth and sixth batches of OFW repatriation from Israel," Cacdac said.
For the first four batches of repatriates, he said 119 OFWs in Israel have been brought home already.
So far, he said a total of 178 OFWs in Israel have requested for repatriation.
"There is a big chance that they can still go back to Israel. For now, let us give the OFWs the chance for reunification with their respective families," Cacdac said.
The DMW said there are around 30,000 OFWs based in Israel.
In October, the Hamas militant group in the Gaza Strip launched an attack in Israel, thereby forcing the latter to declare war and order a counterstrike. (HDT/SunStar Philippines)