DMW urges Filipinos in Israel to stay indoors amid war; repatriation plans ready

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 10) — The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) is urging Filipinos in Israel to prioritize their safety for now, while also assuring them the agency is ready to implement repatriation at any time.

DMW Officer-in-charge Hans Cacdac told CNN Philippines’ The Source that Philippine authorities have prepared evacuation and repatriation plans since the conflict between Israeli forces and militant group Hamas began on Saturday.

“We stand ready at any given time but we have to balance the situation...with the advisory for all to stay indoors and not to move,” he said on Tuesday.

Citing latest data from the Philippine Embassy in Amman, Jordan, the Department of Foreign Affairs said nine families have requested repatriation from Gaza, consisting of 38 Filipino nationals, including 17 minors, and 11 Palestinian spouses.

Cacdac said around 300 of the 30,000 Filipinos in Israel are in conflict areas in the southern portion of the Jewish state.

He said DMW personnel are already making the rounds in Israel to check on rescued Filipinos. The department’s representatives are coordinating with the Philippine embassy and Israeli authorities given the security risks, he added.

According to Philippine Ambassador to Israel Pedro Laylo Jr., 23 of the 29 missing Filipinos have already been rescued, while five remain unaccounted for. He added that they are still looking into the reported death of a caregiver earlier said to be missing.

Cacdac said DMW officers have also visited two injured Filipinos who were given financial assistance.

Latest casualty reports showed at least 900 people in Israel and over 680 in Gaza have been killed in the conflict.