People walk around the ruins of a building destroyed in Israeli airstrikes in Gaza City on October 8, 2023. Fighting between Israeli forces and the Palestinian militant group Hamas raged on October 8, with hundreds killed on both sides after a surprise attack on Israel prompted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to warn they were “embarking on a long and difficult war.” (AFP)
MANILA, Philippines — There is no travel or deployment ban to Israel amid the ongoing conflict between the Israeli government and the Hamas group, according to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
“Kasi it takes Alert Level 3 to hold deployment for all types of workers, Alert Level 2 for new hires, wala pa tayo sa Alert Level 2, technically, wala pa tayong deployment ban sa ngayon,” said DMW officer in charge Undersecretary Hans Leo Cacdac said in a press conference on Tuesday.
(Because it takes Alert Level 3 to hold deployment for all types of workers and Alert Level 2 for new hires, we are not yet at Alert Level 2, technically, we do not have a deployment ban yet.)
Cacdac said that in the Philippines’ current government-to-government hiring arrangement with Israel, the deployment of hotel workers has been suspended, depending on the status of Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv.
“From our side, walang (there is no) impediment, but we would still have to check on our Israeli counterparts, first ‘yung airport situation,” said Cacdac.
“Second, whether or not we can already have that renewed flow of deployment for Israel. All it takes is we will check with our Israeli counterparts,” he added.
Department of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega explained that no alert level has so far been imposed in Israel as there has been no recommendation from the Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv, so far.
No travel ban, but travelers cautioned
De Vega also said that no Israel travel ban has so far been imposed.
He explained that the Holy Land sites like Jerusalem, Betlehem, and Nazareth — which tend to gather the highest number of tourists in the country — are not where the hostilities are located.
Nonetheless, De Vega still advised the public to hold off traveling to the country until the conflict has been resolved.
“We’re not telling you not to go, but we’re advising you it’s best to postpone until we’re absolutely sure the hostilities have ended,”
“After all, even the prime minister of Israel said that it is in a state of war,” he added.
