MANILA — More than 500 Filipinos have been repatriated in light of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
In a radio interview on Tuesday, Migrant Workers Officer-in-Charge Hans Cacdac said the repatriated Filipinos are from Israel and Lebanon.
“The total number of persons who have returned home is 555,” he gave the figure in an interview over Radyo 630.
“They are the ones we were able to assist, joining of forces between DMW and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration,” he said.
He added departments of Foreign Affairs, Health, Social Welfare and Development, Labor and Employment, as well as Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, participated in the operations.
DMW intends to repatriate more Filipinos from Israel.
“We are still expecting a fifteenth batch from Israel. That’s what I was saying earlier about 83 individuals that we are processing,” Cacdac noted.
“Of course, this is still a live count. It is possible that the situation we are monitoring will not stop at 83,” he said.
Filipinos being repatriated from Israel are given financial assistance by Philippine government.
“Those who are returning from Israel, we give them at least P100,000 cash assistance because the situation where they came from is war-like,” Cadac explained.
He added the aid is given to enable the repatriated Filipinos to “somehow get through” life or start a small business.
“TESDA provides training commitment and training vouchers to any accredited institution and any TESDA course,” Cadac mentioned.
“DOLE and DMW have assistance for long-term employment… to help returnees find work,” he said. (Charie Abarca © Philippine Daily Inquirer)
