ILOILO – An Ilongga overseas Filipino worker (OFW) from the municipality of Maasin remains unaccounted for in Israel, while her sister has been successfully rescued after their abduction by the Palestinian terror group, Hamas.
The family of these OFWs, both employed as caregivers in Kibbutz Be’eri with separate employers, sought assistance from the Maasin local government unit (LGU) and its Public Employment Service Office (PESO) on Friday, Oct. 13, a source told Panay News.
Upon coordination, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) verified for the family that one of the siblings remains missing. The family has requested anonymity for both siblings.
“They were both abducted, but one is safe after being rescued,” said an anonymous source from the Maasin LGU. “The DFA validated her name last Friday. It’s confirmed she was among those taken hostage by Hamas.”
The siblings were abducted on the day of the attack at Kibbutz Be’eri, Oct. 7. Thankfully, the younger sister and the child she was caregiving were later rescued by Israel’s military forces.
It is believed that the elder sibling was taken by Hamas militants during their retreat to the Gaza Strip. The exact circumstances surrounding the abductions and the subsequent rescue are yet to be established.
Continuous coordination between the Maasin LGU and relevant government agencies, including the DFA, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), and Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), aims to gather more information regarding the missing OFW.
The Maasin LGU has also pledged any necessary support for the OFW’s family.
In a Bombo Radyo Iloilo interview, Judelyn Armada Pulmones, a cousin of the two OFWs from Barangay Tambal, Janiuay town, detailed their last communication on Saturday, Oct. 7.
“I messaged her in the morning to check on her after she heard gunshots following sirens. She was frightened by the heavy gunfire. By the afternoon, I couldn’t reach her,” shared Pulmones.
She was able to connect with the rescued sibling the next day.
Pulmones revealed that upon hearing sirens, the siblings and their respective employers sought refuge in a bomb shelter. Unfortunately, they were ambushed and abducted by Hamas militants.
“She told me after the military rescued them, she saw many dead bodies on the streets of Kibbutz Be’eri,” added Pulmones.
Despite the Israeli military’s extensive search in Kibbutz Be’eri, the other OFW was not found.
“The military has cleared the Kibbutz, but she is nowhere to be found,” Pulmones said.
Presently residing in Rishon LeZion City, about 59 kilometers from the Gaza Strip, Pulmones too has faced her share of terrifying moments from the conflict, even at such a distance.
PESO-Iloilo, according to its head Francisco Heller Jr., said they are currently working to verify the information regarding the missing Ilongga OFW. They are in touch with OWWA and other partner agencies to ascertain the status of both the rescued and missing OFWs.
As of now, they have accounted for 194 Ilonggo OFWs in Israel, with 53 hailing from Maasin.
The others were from Leon (15), Tubungan (12), Lambunao (10), Tigbauan (nine), San Joaquin (nine), Oton (nine), Passi City (eight), Santa Barbara (seven), Ajuy (six), Miag-ao (six), Badiangan (six), Zarraga (five), Barotac Nuevo (five), Cabatuan (five), Calinog (five), Batad (four), Janiuay (four), Balasan (three), Guimbal (three), Dingle (two), Estancia (one), New Lucena (one), Carles (one), Anilao (one), Sara (one), and Concepcion (one).
However, this number may fluctuate as more data from LGUs is collected, said Cynthia Parcon-Dario, supervising labor and employment officer of PESO-Iloilo.
Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. has made provincial government hotlines available for OFWs in crisis regions. These are the following:
* 0998-968-6800
* 0998-968-6801
* 0961-680-4428
* 0977-451-7156
* 0998-357-5791
* 0921-952-8750
* 0916-758-3156
* 0917-754-3833.
OWWA Region 6 data indicates that 452 OFWs from Iloilo are currently in Israel, predominantly in Jerusalem. 395 of these individuals are from the province.
OWWA-6 officer-in-charge, Rizza Joy Moldes, clarified that they have not received any request for aid from the family of the abducted OFWs as of yet. Any official updates on the status of affected OFWs in Israel will be issued by the DFA and not OWWA.
Moldes encouraged Ilonggos with family members in Israel to reach out to their office for inquiries or to visit them at Robinsons Place Iloilo (Main) on Ledesma Street, City Proper.
Their 24-hour hotline numbers for queries, questions, and clarifications are: 02-1348 and What’s App/Viber-09083268334, 0927148186, and 09178327307./PN
