Marcos thanks Herzog for Israel’s ‘care’ for OFWs
President Marcos Jr. conveyed his thanks to Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Wednesday for the care and support accorded to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) as violence continues to escalate in Israel and Lebanon.
President Marcos phoned Herzog to express his appreciation that Israel has taken steps to ensure the safety of OFWs.
“Israel’s swift assistance in ensuring their safety, especially during these challenging times, means a great deal to us,” he said in a statement.
Mr. Marcos described Israel as one of the Philippines’ “trusted bilateral partners in the Middle East region.”
He said the “historic friendship” between the Philippines and Israel has lasted longer than the establishment of the Israeli state.
“We remain hopeful for a swift path to peace, and together, may we continue to build on the strong bonds between our nations,” he said.
Repatriation
One year after Hamas launched its largest terrorist attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, a total of 1,326 Filipinos have been repatriated from four affected areas: Israel, Lebanon, the West Bank and Gaza, Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac said at a press briefing on Oct. 7.
The majority of those sent home—888 Filipinos—came from Israel, Cacdac said.
The Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv said 1,200 individuals lost their lives in the Oct. 7 attack, including four Filipinos: Paul Vincent Castelvi, Loreta Alacre, Angelyn Aguirre and Grace Cabrera.
No other OFWs have been injured or killed, based on the Department of Migrant Workers’s (DMW) latest monitoring in Tel Aviv and Beirut.
In Lebanon, 430 OFWs and 28 dependents have been repatriated, with 151 more set to return starting Oct. 11 as commercial flights resume in Beirut.
Meanwhile, 225 more applications are being processed by Lebanese immigration, Cacdac said. With a report from Jane Bautista
Read more: OFWs fleeing Israel, Lebanon as tensions rise
