The repatriation of over a dozen Filipinos from conflict-stricken Lebanon has been rescheduled for October 3, according to a Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) official on Saturday.
Initially planned for September 26, the return was postponed after several international airlines temporarily halted flights due to heightened tensions between Israel and Hezbollah militants in Lebanon.
“Hopefully, we are praying that by October 3, the Filipinos scheduled for repatriation on September 26 will finally arrive. The suspension on flights is expected to be lifted, barring unforeseen circumstances,” DMW Officer-in-Charge and Undersecretary Felicitas Bay said during a media forum in Quezon City.
Bay also mentioned that two more repatriation flights are being arranged.
Since October last year, over 500 Filipinos, including their dependents, have been repatriated from Lebanon, with 430 of them being Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).
Bay encouraged more Filipinos to take part in the voluntary repatriation program, assuring that the government is ready to provide assistance as they transition back to life in the Philippines. Returning Filipinos will receive P150,000 in financial aid from the DMW and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).
“We also have support from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for psychosocial counseling, and TESDA is offering training vouchers,” Bay added.
For those opting to remain in Lebanon, Bay advised seeking help from the Philippine Embassy in Beirut and the Migrant Workers Office, especially for those in southern Lebanon, where most of the tension is concentrated.
“There’s a lot of conflict in the southern region of Lebanon. We are urging our fellow Filipinos there to relocate, and the Migrant Workers Office and Embassy are providing temporary shelters until the situation improves,” she stated.
The DMW has not received any reports of Filipino casualties or injuries amid the ongoing conflict. Bay said forced evacuation will only be implemented if Lebanon’s alert level is raised to four from the current Alert Level 3.
Since Monday, Israel has expanded its military actions from Gaza to Lebanon, with heavy bombings killing over 700 people and displacing around 118,000. Hezbollah responded by firing rockets into Israel, though no immediate casualties were reported.
The Israeli military has warned civilians in parts of Hezbollah’s stronghold in southern Beirut to evacuate ahead of further bombings, stating it will block any attempts by Iran to transport weapons to Hezbollah through Beirut airport. In its second wave of strikes, Israeli forces targeted Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon near Tyre.
The United Nations has repeatedly condemned the recent escalation of violence in Lebanon.