More Pinoys in Beirut home by end-October

MANILA, Philippines — Some 254 Filipinos in Lebanon are expected to return to Manila by the end of the month amid the ongoing conflict between Israeli forces and Hezbollah, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said on Monday.

Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac said that flights had been booked for the Filipinos between Oct. 14 and Oct. 28.

READ: 182 Filipinos in Lebanon expected home soon

“Then there are about 300 or so pending [applications] before the Lebanese immigration authorities. So, we know around 500 Filipinos who want to go home to the Philippines,” he said in a radio interview.

Over the weekend, 20 overseas Filipino workers came home, bringing the total number of those repatriated to 450, according to DMW data.

Cacdac noted that 178 Filipinos were currently in Philippine-run shelters. Alert Level 3 remains in effect in Lebanon, allowing Filipinos to opt for voluntary repatriation. —Jane Bautista