Stranded in Israel: 21 PH officials to return to PH by weekend – DFA

People take shelter for the night at an underground light rail station in the city of Ramat Gan, east of Tel Aviv, on June 17, 2025 amidst fears of an Iranian missile attack. Agence France-Presse

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Foreign Affairs said that the 21 Filipino government officials stranded in Israel were set to travel back home to the Philippines this weekend

Israel closed its airspace and airports due to Iran’s retaliatory air raids. This situation caused the 21 officials to be stranded in Israel.

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“They will be flying home this weekend [through] Jordan,” DFA Usec. Eduardo de Vega told INQUIRER.net.

According to De Vega the officials will be traveling to Jordan within the week, before heading back to the Philippines during the weekend.

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De Vega said there are nine mayors, four vice mayors, two party-list representatives, and two regional directors stuck in Israel.

Additionally, four officials from the Department of Agriculture were also with them.

The DFA, however, refused to identify the 21 officials out of respect for their privacy.

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Meanwhile, in a separate chance interview, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the 21 officials have already arrived in Jordan on Tuesday night (Manila time).

“We’ve tried to find ways to get them out, either via Egypt or the option that they took is a land trip to Jordan,” said Laurel.

“And from Jordan, fa-fly out sila back to (they will be flown back to) Qatar and back to Manila. Pero, kagabi lang sila nakarating sa Jordan (but they just arrived in Jordan last night),” he added. /dl