ILOILO City – A native of Buenavista, Guimaras was among those killed in a powerful explosion that ripped through Lebanese capital Beirut.
The 67-year-old Mila Sumaculob of Barangay New Poblacion, Buenavista was in her employers’ home when the powerful blast occurred in the Port of Beirut on Tuesday that resulted in over a hundred of fatalities, as well as widespread damage throughout the city.
Mila worked as a household help of a United Nations diplomat, according to a press statement from the provincial government of Guimaras.
She died while being treated at the American University Hospital – one of the four Filipino fatalities that the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) confirmed Friday.
In her Facebook page, Mila’s daughter-in-law Gen Marie expressed sadness over their mother’s passing.
“Sang last nyt lng ta ngstorya nga lipay lipay ka nga girl imo apo k hambal mo may panagupnop kagd nga babaye amo na puro pink gnpa-package mo nga pang baby gusto mo Jamila gd ngalan sang apo mo para ara imo ngalan kg namian ka sang meaning kay beautiful na dra sa Lebanon ma damo damo kapa gani plano mag for good ka sundon gd namon ni Patrick tanan nga tugon mo samon ma… Palangga kagd namon ma, Mila Sumaculob,” Gen Marie wrote Friday.
The employer also coordinated with the family of the overseas Filipino worker and assured them of the prompt repatriation of her remains, which will be airlifted on Aug. 17 to Manila at the earliest, the daughter-in-law said.
Buenavista mayor Eugene Reyes said the municipality will be extending assistance to the victim’s family.
“We will give financial assistance. Our municipal social welfare and development office will make the assessment to determine the amount of assistance,” he said.
Gov. Samuel Gumarin, for his part, issued a statement and official message of sympathy for the bereaved family.
“This is another sad and tragic chapter for Guimaras – a Guimarasnon who was supposed to go back home for good in December this year will be home a few months early but not with a smile anymore,” read part of Gumarin’s statement.
The governor also assured the Sumaculob family all the needed coordination and assistance.
So far, the Philippine Embassy in Beirut documented 31 Filipinos injured and one missing, according to DFA undersecretary Sarah Lou Arriola.
“Our Embassy officials shall continue to ascertain the condition of our community in Beirut. The DFA reaffirms its commitment to bring the much needed support and assistance to our kababayans especially at this hour of need,” Arriola said.
The DFA earlier reported that the missing 11 seafarers that jumped off the ship docked some 400 meters away from the blast zone have all been accounted for.
There are a total of 31,916 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Lebanon so far, latest data from DFA showed. There used to be 33,424 OFWs in December 2019 but many of them have been repatriated.
According to Arriola, majority of the Filipinos in Lebanon work as household service workers.
The Philippines has an ongoing repatriation of OFWs not only in Lebanon but also in many countries affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.
The DFA said more than 120,000 overseas Filipino workers, both sea-based and land-based, have been repatriated since February due to the pandemic.
Around 100,000 more displaced OFWs are waiting to be repatriated in the coming weeks, it added./PN
