LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu—The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration in Central Visayas (OWWA-7) is still waiting for the list of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in Central Visayas who were working in Israel.
This as conflict between Israel and Hamas escalated, resulting to the deaths of as many as 1,600 as of Tuesday, October 10, 2023.
Jeffrey Signo, officer III of OWWA-7, said that the central office is still sorting the list of OFWs in Israel per province.
OWWA reported that around 30,000 OFWs are currently working there.
On Monday, October 9, OWWA-7 already established a help desk in their office to cater to the needs of families of OFWs working in Israel.
Currently, Signo said that their office has not yet received any request for assistance.
“24/7 naman gud ang operation sa among hotline sa OWWA-7. So far, wala pa mi nadawat nga request for assistance sa mga OFWs sa Israel or sa ilang family diri nga nagpakitabang,” Signo said.
The Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv said seven Filipinos remain missing while 22 others have been rescued in the Gaza Strip amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant nationalist group Hamas.
Signo said that the Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv has already received some requests from OFWs who want to come back to the Philippines.
Signo said that among the contingency plans that the agency is preparing if the conflict in Israel would escalate is to repatriate OFWs.
He said that they could be brought to a safer place/custody or deploy a chartered plane to bring them back to the country.
The agency also assured OFWs that they will be assisted once they’ve returned to the country.
“So once nga makauli sila, our regional offices is in full force no, to assist them at the airport upon arrival here,” he added.
/bmjo