Assure safety of Filipinos in Israel – Marcos

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has directed the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) to ensure all Filipinos affected by the fighting in Israel are safe and accounted for, Malacañang said on Sunday.

«The government is closely coordinating with the Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv and the Migrant Workers Office (MWO) in Israel to ensure the safety and welfare of Filipinos affected in the ongoing conflict,» the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said in a statement.

Palestinian militants over the weekend launched land, sea, and air attacks in Gaza that have killed hundreds of Israelis.

There are about 24,800 Filipinos in Israel, many of them working as caregivers and hotel and service sector employees, OWWA said.

The DMW has opened several Viber and WhatsApp hotline numbers that will accept calls and queries from Filipino migrant workers and the Filipino community who need government assistance, the PCO said.

The Office of the President (OP) has condemned the violence «especially against civilian populations.»

«The Philippines conveys its deepest sympathies and condolences to those who have lost family members and loved ones in recent attacks. The Philippines condemns the attacks, especially against civilian populations,» the OP said in a statement.

It also said the Philippines «understands the right of states to self-defense in the light of external aggression as recognized in the United Nations Charter.»

Also on Sunday, Israel's ambassador to Manila asked for an expression of support from the Philippine government and their Filipino friends in the country.

In a media briefing via Zoom, Ilan Fluss said he expects their Filipino friends, both in the government and in the private sector, to express their support for Israel's rights to defend itself from the Hamas militants that attacked several towns and cities of Israel during a major Jewish holiday Saturday.

Fluss said he is hoping that Israel's friends in the Philippines will come out with an expression of support and condemnation of what is happening now in that country.

He said the Israeli Embassy has requested Philippine authorities to increase the security