Migrant workers' group pushes for mandatory repatriation of OFWs in Lebanon

Smoke seeps out from building rubble at the site of an overnight Israeli airstrike on the Laylaki neighborhood in Beirut's southern suburbs on October 1, 2024. AFP/File

MANILA — A migrant workers' organization in the Middle East is urging the Philippine government to be more proactive and to order the mandatory repatriation of Filipinos in Lebanon.

According to David Sanchez, coordinator of Migrante Middle East, the group has been receiving reports from overseas Filipino workers in Lebanon who are requesting to be rescued from their employers.

Sanchez said even those who are already in shelters provided by the Philippine government are still waiting for repatriation.

DMW: No distinction between undocumented, documented OFWs in repatriation from Lebanon

"Sa itinatakbo ng bagal ng repatriation, 'yung mga nasa shelter, ilang linggo, buwan na doon. Tingin namin hindi na dapat maghintay ang national government doon sa mga private flights, kailangan talagang magkaroon ng chartered flights," Sanchez said on TeleRadyo Serbisyo, Wednesday.

(With the slow pace of repatriation, some of those in the shelters have been waiting for weeks and months. In our view, the national government should charter flights instead of waiting for commercial flights to be available)

"Dapat 'yung government, i-mobilize ang lahat ng kanyang asset para ilikas ang mga kababayan natin," he added, noting that other countries have already pushed for the repatriation of their nationals.

(The government should mobilize all available assets to get our people out)

According to government data, the Philippine Embassy in Beirut has received 1,721 applications for repatriation. Of that number, 511 have been repatriated and 171 ready for repatriation

So far, the Philippines has neither listed any deaths of injuries among Filipinos in Lebanon. 

In October 2023, the Philippines raised the alert level in Lebanon to Level 3, which initiated the voluntary repatriation of Filipino nationals.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered the government to prepare to evacuate Filipinos from Lebanon 'by whatever means necessary’ but clarified that repatriation is not yet mandatory.

READ: PH yet to order mandatory repatriation for Filipinos in Lebanon — Marcos Jr.

'OFWS WAITING FOR UPDATES'

David said there are 11,000 Filipinos in Lebanon, and around 1,700 have already signed up for repatriation.

However, since the Philippine government has yet to order mandatory repatriation, many of the workers are still waiting for updates.

Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) administrator Arnell Ignacio said the agency has sent several teams to Lebanon to assist those who want to return home.

He also said those who will choose to return will be receiving financial aid from the government.

Marcos Jr. said the Philippine government has yet to order the mandatory repatriation of Filipinos from Lebanon, saying that he leaves it up to Philippine officials in the Middle East to make that call. 

Marcos Jr. gave the clarification hours after he called a virtual conference with his Cabinet members on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit here. 

Marcos Jr. said he has been closely monitoring tensions in the Middle East as the Israeli Defense Force and militant group Hezbollah continue their skirmishes in the southern part of Beirut. 

The IDF and Hezbollah have also been trading rocket strikes.

READ: Hezbollah strikes Israel, says it foiled Israeli incursions

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