ILOILO – Amid the escalating tension between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Region 6 is urging Ilonggos with relatives working in Israel to coordinate with their office.
Rizza Joy Moldes, officer-in-charge of OWWA-6, said their hotline numbers – 02-1348 and WhatsApp/Viber – 09083268334, 0927148186, and 09178327307 – are open 24 hours for queries.
They may also directly visit the OWWA-6 office at the Robinsons Place Iloilo on Ledesma Street, Iloilo City.
Moldes said no Ilonggo OFW family members or even Ilonggo OFWs in Israel have so far sought help to be repatriated.
OWWA coordinates closely with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).
“Here at the regional office we facilitate requests for assistance of the family of OFWs in Israel, then endorse to DMW and OWWA central office,” said Moldes.
Data from the OWWA central office showed 24,897 OFWs in Israel, of whom more than 200 were assigned at the conflict areas and mostly working as caregivers and hospitals workers.
“Right now we are still confirming with our central office kon pila gid ang OFWs gikan sa Western Visayas,” Moldes said.
Moldes added the OWWA, DMW and DFA maintain communication with OWFs in Israel through group chats for a timely update of their situation.
OFWs were also advised to regularly check with the command center on the updated actions of the national government.
Moldes said the national government had created a taskforce to spearhead the repatriation if needed.
“Naka-antabay ang OWWA sa repatriation sang OFWs kon kinanglanon nga i-extend ang repatriation sa ila,” she said.
Iloilo reactivates OFW help desk
To also assist Ilonggos who have queries about their relatives who may be affected by the ongoing tension, Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. ordered the reactivation of the provincial government’s 24/7 Operation Bulig Ilonggo Migrants Desk.
The help desk will be managed by the Public Employment Service Office (PESO) and the Provincial Civil Defense Office.
“We want to let them know that we have a help desk that will assist them in times of crisis,” PESO head Francisco Heler Jr. said.
The provincial government also reactivated its Task Force Bulig Ilonggo and created a social media chat to proactively respond to the families of war victims.
Provincial Administrator Raul Banias said he is closely coordinating with DMW and OWWA for the provincial government to extend immediate assistance to the Ilonggo victims.
“The governor also gave instructions that our Operation Center will proactively call or inform our local government units and even the barangays just in case they receive a report of an Ilonggo affected by the war. The governor is closely monitoring the situation and also the OpCen [Operations Center],” Banias said.
Banias urged the public who has any information about any Ilonggo who may be affected by the conflict to call the following hotlines:
* 0998-968-6800
* 0998-968-6801
* 0961-680-4428
* 0977-451-7156
* 0998-357-5791
* 0921-952-8750
* 0916-758-3156, and
* 0917-754-3833.
To recall, Defensor issued Executive Order No. 004 Series of 2020 creating the Task Force Bulig Ilonggo for OFWs and their families in war-crises-prone areas in the Middle East and establishing an assistance desk.
As precautionary measures, the OWWA advised OFWs in Israel to stay indoors or areas that they are safe.
On Monday, Oct. 9, the DFA said the travel to Israel is postponed “indefinitely” as the war between Israeli forces and the Hamas group entered its third day.
The postponement of all travel from the Philippines to Israel, the department said, is due to “volatile security” there and will remain “until such time that the situation has stabilized”.
In its latest statement, the DFA said the number of Filipinos missing since the conflict started also rose from six to seven.
“Seven remain unaccounted for and cannot be contacted via their mobile numbers and social media accounts,” DFA spokesperson Ma. Teresita Daza said.
She added: “The Philippine Embassy (in Israel) is working non-stop with Israeli security authorities and community contacts to ascertain their condition. We continue to await feedback from them”.
One of those missing is a Filipino male whose wife earlier reached out to the Philippine Embassy in Israel and said that she recognized him in a video circulating on social media which shows a man being held by armed individuals.
“(The Embassy) cannot independently verify his identity based on the video alone but considers the report of the wife as compelling. The Embassy is also working with community contacts on his case,” Daza said.
The DFA spokesperson said there were an initial 29 Filipinos reported missing but 22 have already been rescued by Israeli security forces, transferred to a safer area, and are now housed in hotels.
“Of the 22, one is being treated at a hospital for moderate injuries sustained during the rescue. One was initially treated for smoke inhalation and was released after treatment and is now resting in a hotel in Tel Aviv,” she said.
25 Filipinos in Gaza want to be repatriated
Meanwhile, 25 Filipinos have requested to be evacuated from Gaza amid the intense war between Israel and the Hamas group.
“The Philippine Embassy in Amman, Jordan has received requests for repatriation from Filipinos in Gaza. (The) numbers may change as some are still undecided,” Daza said in a separate statement.
She said the 25 are those who have initially signified their intention to leave Gaza.
There are a total of 137 Filipinos in Gaza, based on the latest data from the Philippine Embassy in Jordan, which has jurisdiction over Gaza.
On Oct. 8, the Embassy activated its Emergency Management Team (EMT) as it cited the “mounting violence and criminality” in the area.
“We reiterate our reminder for Filipinos in Gaza to continue undertaking safety measures and take shelter in the nearest available protected area due to the increasing violence that threatens their security,” Philippine Ambassador to Jordan Wilfredo Santos said.
Filipinos who may require assistance are requested to contact the Embassy at ATN Hotlines: +962-7-7907-7775 and 7-7907-7778.
Israel declared a state of war and bombarded Gaza after the Hamas group mounted a surprise attack on Oct. 7. (With a report from the Philippine News Agency)/PN