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"We will keep on coordinating, operating through our Embassy on the ground and we will prepare them for flights," Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said.

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ofw 10162024

Katrina Domingo

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — Around 514 Filipinos from Lebanon will be flying back the Philippines in the coming days, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said on Wednesday, about a week after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered government agencies to utilize all assets to repatriate Filipinos stuck in the country that has been devastated by Israeli airstrikes against Hezbollah militants.</p><p>Of the 514 Filipinos who have volunteered to join the repatriation program, 264 already have plane tickets, while another 250 are waiting for the release of their exit clearances from the Lebanese government, Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said.</p><p>He told state television PTV that 100 clearances were already pending release as of Tuesday.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/10/9/marcos-orders-evacuation-of-filipinos-from-lebanon-by-whatever-means-necessary-1545">• Marcos orders evacuation of Filipinos from Lebanon ‘by whatever means necessary’</a></div><p>&quot;We will keep on coordinating, operating through our Embassy on the ground and we will prepare them for flights,&quot; he said.</p><p>At least 192 Filipinos in Lebanon are staying in the shelters while awaiting repatriation, Cacdac said, adding the government has a social worker and medical professionals to assist the stranded workers.</p><p>&quot;Kung may pangangailangan, puwedeng sunduin yung kababayan natin… at dadalhin natin kaagad sila sa ating mga shelters. Doon sila puwede mag-antabay habang prinoproseso yung plane ticket at flight home nila,&quot; he said.</p><p>(If necessary, we can pick up our fellow Filipinos to bring them to the shelters where they can stay while waiting for the plane tickets and their flights home)</p><p>Since the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah militants erupted in October 2023, the Philippine government has repatriated 488 Filipinos and their dependents from Lebanon, the DMW chief said.</p><p>There are some 11,000 Filipinos in Lebanon, according to DMW data.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/world/2024/10/13/40-nations-contributing-to-un-lebanon-peacekeeping-force-condemn-attacks-818">• 40 nations contributing to UN Lebanon peacekeeping force condemn &#x27;attacks&#x27;</a></div><div><strong>SOME OFWS CHOOSING TO STAY IN LEBANON</strong></div><p>Cacdac said some Filipinos working in Beirut are refusing to leave the country despite the conflict in the region.</p><p>&quot;They live or stay with their employers’ households so they have a sense of personal commitment to their work, loyalty to their employers… Therefore they would have their own emotional reason kung bakit ayaw pa nilang umuwi,&quot; Cacdac said.</p><p>&quot;Of course, there is the income na kinikita nila sa ngayon,&quot; he said, stressing that the government is ready to bring them home when they decide to apply for repatriation.</p><p>He added labor attaches can help talk to employers who don&#x27;t want to allow their Filipino workers to go home.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/10/9/migrant-workers-group-pushes-for-mandatory-repatriation-of-ofws-in-lebanon-1858">• Migrant workers&#x27; group pushes for mandatory repatriation of OFWs in Lebanon</a></div><p>&quot;Mayroon tayong mga persuasive strategies or systems na sinasagawa to convince the employers to send our OFWs home,&quot; he added.</p><p>(We have persuasive strategies or systems that we do to convince the employers to send our OFWs home)</p><p>OFWs from Lebanon who would avail of the repatriation program will receive P150,000 from the government upon their return, Cacdac said, noting that there would also be additional aid packages from other government agencies.</p><p>Marcos Jr. earlier said that the Philippines has yet to place Lebanon under Alert Level 4, which would volunteer a mandatory repatriation.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3A8K6wRHiqU?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>"We will keep on coordinating, operating through our Embassy on the ground and we will prepare them for flights," Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said.</p>

More than 500 Filipinos set to return from Lebanon soon: DMW

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More than 500 Filipinos set to return from Lebanon soon: DMW

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

Published Oct 16, 2024 04:07 PM PHT

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Department of Migrant Workers

Hans Leo Cacdac

Lebanon

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