Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac. Photo from OWWA / Facebook
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) on Saturday morning said 290 more Filipinos were repatriated from Lebanon amid escalating tension between Hezbollah and Israel.
DMW, the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Philippine Embassy in Ankara, Turkiye brought home 254 overseas Filipinos and their 36 dependents via chartered flight from Beirut, Lebanon to Manila.
READ: Repatriated Filipinos from Lebanon now 488 – DMW chief
This brings the total to 950, or 903 overseas Filipinos and 47 dependents, repatriated from Lebanon since October 2023.
Meanwhile, 69 Filipinos are still residing in shelters in Beirut under the care of the Migrant Workers Office in Lebanon.
Following a series of Israeli airstrikes in the southern part of the Middle Eastern country, on October 9, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered government agencies to evacuate Filipinos from Lebanon “by whatever means.”
READ: Marcos: Get Filipinos out of Lebanon by all means
Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said, “We stand ready to assist those who are willing to be repatriated. We are encouraging OFWs to avail of the voluntary repatriation program.”
“Upon their return home, a whole-of-government approach is ready for them, as directed by the President, with unprecedented financial assistance and other forms of support under the New Philippines,” Cacdac added.
DMW said it will provide repatriates P75,000 of financial aid through its Aksyon Fund. Repatriates are also promised P75,000 from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration and P20,000 from the Department of Social Work and Development.
The Department of Health is also offering repatriates free medical consultations and psychological first aid.
Additionally, livelihood assistance is available from the DMW’s National Reintegration Center for Overseas Filipino Workers.