Kin of OFWs killed in Hamas attack grieve loss, uncertain future

Zen Hernandez, ABS-CBN News

MANILA — After agonizing over the lack of news for 6 days, the family of 49-year-old Pinay caregiver Loreta Alacre finally received the dreaded phone call from the Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/multimedia/photo/10/11/23/israel-city-deserted-as-war-rages">Israel city deserted as war rages</a></li></ul>Loreta was among the fatalities from the October 7 Hamas attack. She had been working as a caregiver in Israel for 15 years. She did not have her own family and has been supporting her 7 other siblings and their children. October 6 was her last video call to her sisters.“Usapan namin kamusta, kung anong ginagawa, ipakita sa video call, kung malipayon, masaya ang mga kapatid dito sa Pilipinas… Uuwi sana ng next year or December mag-celebrate ng kaniyang birthday, ika-50…Anim na araw hindi namin alam kung nasan siya… Hindi makatulog hindi makakain, masakit,” her elder sister Ana Alacre said.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/13/23/mga-labi-ng-kapampangan-ofw-na-namatay-sa-israel-hindi-muna-iuuuwi">Mga labi ng Kapampangan OFW na namatay sa Israel, hindi muna iuuuwi sa Pilipinas</a></li></ul>When news of the Hamas attack broke out, Loreta’s nephew Ar-ar Alacre Araña tried messaging his aunt but received no reply. Now that they have received confirmation on Loreta’s death, Ar-ar said it feels like their family’s hope and dreams for a better future died along with her.“Siya din po kasi nagbibigay sa ‘kin ng allowance ko. Yung mga pinsan ko ngayon po, yung dalawang nag-aaral ng college, siya din nagpapa-aral. Yun nga po, baka po huminto dahil sa nangyari sa kanya,” Ar-ar lamented.Loreta’s family is hoping that the Philippine government will get her remains back home soon.“Medyo natanggap na namin. Wala naman kaming magawa…Kung pwede madala ang body ni Lorie diri sa Pilipinas…gusto namin makita siya,” Ana appealed.Loreta is the third Filipino fatality in Israel according to the Department of Foreign Affairs. Three other Filipinos remain missing.These include Clarisse Pacheco’s husband, 33-year-old Gelienor Leaño Pacheco, another Filipino caregiver working in Israel for 5 years. Clarisse and Gelienor have 3 children. According to Clarisse, her husband’s last message was between 8 to 9 a.m, Israel time or around 1:00-1:30 p.m. in Manila last October 7.“Sabi niya, pinasok na kami, I love you. Ingatan mo mga anak natin, mahal na mahal ko kayo,” Clarisse said.Since then, Clarisse travelled all the way from Cagayan to the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) central office in Pasay City, in the hopes of getting positive news about her husband.“Hon, sana ano, tumawag ka na. Sana magparamdam ka na, kasi ilang araw na din. Sana nasa maayos kang kalagayan. Nag-aantay yung mga bata sa ‘tin. Umaasa ako na sana makabalik ka sa lalong madaling panahon,” Clarisse said addressing her husband.OWWA Administrator Arnell Ignacio assured all forms of assistance will be provided to Clarisse, including transportation, accommodation and financial. Most importantly, Ignacio assured that the government is doing everything it can to find all missing Filipinos.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/13/23/third-filipino-killed-in-israel-hamas-war">Third Filipino killed in Israel-Hamas war: DFA</a></li></ul>“Wala naman tayong tigil ng paghahanap hindi lang efforts ng Philippine government but also the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) is helping us kaya marami ding Pilipinong na-secure…Hindi tumitigal ang buhay, marami rin silang mga obligasyon so nagbigay ako ng 50,000, ang DMW (Department of Migrant Workers) din 50,000 at least doon, di na siya magaala sa bayarin nila…para makabawas sa iisipin niya habang hinahanap natin yung kanyang asawa,” Ignacio said.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/10/11/23/2-ofw-sa-israel-patay-sa-pag-atake-ng-hamas-dfa">2 OFW sa Israel patay sa pag-atake ng Hamas: DFA</a></li></ul>As of the latest updates from both OWWA and the Department of Migrant Workers, affected areas in the southern portion of Israel near Gaza remain a “no-entry” zone. But the Israeli government has committed to helping all affected individuals in the said area, including Filipinos and other foreign nationals. Those extracted from the area are transferred to safe zones which Philippine government representatives can access to deliver assistance. An injured Filipino grazed by a bullet on the right shoulder and another that suffered from smoke inhalation are now both in Tel Aviv.So far, 22 Filipinos in Israel and 70 Filipinos in Gaza have signed up for repatriation. The DMW and OWWA will handle repatriation efforts for Filipinos in Israel, while the DFA will handle those coming from Gaza.The Philippine government assured that all affected Filipinos will be provided all necessary support for livelihood, employment and reintegration, once they are back in the Philippines.<div>RELATED VIDEO </div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2838536" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

When news of the Hamas attack broke out, Loreta’s nephew Ar-ar Alacre Araña tried messaging his aunt but received no reply. 

Kin of OFWs killed in Hamas attack grieve loss, uncertain future

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Kin of OFWs killed in Hamas attack grieve loss, uncertain future

Zen Hernandez,

ABS-CBN News

Published Oct 13, 2023 08:36 PM PHT

Read More:

Israel

Hamas

war

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Philippines

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