Delay seen in PH return of caregiver’s remains
The remains of the Filipina caregiver who died during an Iranian airstrike in Israel will not be brought home soon as the airspace in different parts of the Middle East remain closed due to the ongoing conflict in the region.
According to Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac, the government needs more time to process the repatriation of the body of 32-year-old Mary Ann de Vera back to her hometown in Basista, Pangasinan.
“We will wait for the right time to do this. De Vera’s family and her husband, who is also an overseas Filipino worker in Israel, understand the situation,” Cacdac said in a Malacañang briefing on Monday. “But we’re in good hands because the Israeli government is fully backing us in this endeavor. So in due time, Marian will be home … ”
For the meantime, the DMW and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration already sent teams to assist De Vera’s family in Pangasinan and in Tel Aviv to help her husband.
The Israeli government, Cacdac said, is not only providing support but also “honoring the heroism” of De Vera, as she “literally died in the line of duty, while helping her elderly ward.”
She had been working in Israel since 2019 and had just celebrated their third wedding anniversary.
De Vera was killed while assisting her ward get inside a bomb shelter during a missile attack in Tel Aviv on the evening of Feb. 28.
However, they were unable to reach the shelter in time.
“Based on the accounts of those who extracted her from the debris, De Vera still had a pulse when they found her. But she was pinned down by a large concrete slab so rescuers had a difficult time getting her,” Philippine Ambassador to Israel Aileen Mendiola said.
“Unfortunately on the way to the hospital, she was pronounced dead,” she added.
Honored
The Pangasinan provincial government has expressed deep sorrow over the incident.
In a statement on Monday, Gov. Ramon Guico III said De Vera’s death “is a painful reminder of the sacrifices and dangers our countrymen face for the sake of their loved ones.”
The Pangasinan provincial government said it would provide financial assistance to the family and help with the repatriation of her remains.
The College of Pharmacy of the Virgen Milagrosa University Foundation in San Carlos City, Pangasinan, where De Vera earned her BS Pharmacy degree in 2017, also honored her heroic deed.
“Our beloved alumna, Mary Ann, was a brave and selfless soul who dedicated her life to helping others. While working in the Holy Land, Israel, she courageously stayed by the side of her elderly patient during a missile attack in Tel Aviv, choosing to protect the life entrusted to her,” it said in a Facebook post. “Tragically, she lost her life in this act of selfless devotion. We honor her courage, generosity, and ultimate sacrifice.”
President Marcos earlier assured De Vera’s family that the national government will extend all necessary assistance they may require.
De Vera was the first reported Filipino casualty in the ongoing crisis in the Middle East.
Meanwhile, Cacdac said a Filipino working at a fast-food chain in an airport in Kuwait sustained minor injury following a drone attack on Feb. 28, but he has since been discharged from the hospital.
The UAE Ministry of Defense also reported that at least 58 people were injured after an Iranian drone strike and among those who sustained “minor injuries” were an undisclosed number of Filipinos. —WITH A REPORT FROM YOLANDA SOTELO
