Owwa exec reports ‘fiesta’ vibe in Lebanon shelters

MANILA, Philippines — The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (Owwa) sought to dispel reports that it had been “slow” in moving Filipinos away from areas under bombardment in Lebanon, by citing the ‘’fiesta atmosphere’’ in the shelters now holding the evacuees as they await repatriation.

In a press briefing on Thursday, Owwa Administrator Arnel Ignacio showed photos of some overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who had fled their employers’ premises, saying they were now “very very fine.”

“Those are our shelters. So, as you can see this is very far from how we picture them as panicking. There’s a fiesta atmosphere there already,” said Ignacio, who is also a former TV host and entertainer.

The pictures showed OFWs at Owwa shelters holding bags of relief goods or filling out forms for their eventual repatriation to the Philippines.

READ: Marcos: Get Filipinos out of Lebanon by all means

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“We’d like to emphasize since Day 1, following the directive of the President, that even if we were not yet concerned about the issue of mandatory repatriation of our OFWs, our personnel have been prepared, including all the funding, and they are deployed in areas where we can repatriate,” Ignacio added.

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Some still in tents

He said the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) would continue searching for Filipinos in need of relocation, following reports that some were still staying in tents in certain parts of Lebanon amid continuing Israeli airstrikes targeting the terrorist group Hezbollah.

“If ever these reports are confirmed we can always have them brought to our shelters—I believe we have four—and all these shelters are equipped and supplied with food and all the means for them to get in touch with their relatives,” he said. “Everything is in place. So, if we can identify where these OFWs are staying in tents, we will go to them and bring them to our shelters.”

Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said Philippine agencies had “intensified” efforts to hasten the mass repatriation of OFWs in compliance with the directive given by President Marcos on Wednesday.

Causes of delay

But he admitted there had been delays in the processing of travel documents on the side of the Lebanese immigration.

“We are enhancing, or should I say strengthening, our coordination with the Lebanese immigration side. We’re hoping to receive more releases of [exit] clearances,” Cacdac said.

The limited number of flights out of Beirut is also causing delays, Cacdac said.

As an option, the Philippine government will be mobilizing the military’s air and sea assets so as not to be totally dependent on commercial flights, he said.

“So that is the process that we have to go through. But rest assured, help is on its way,” he said.

“Now, as to the details, we would not yet divulge any more details other than that because we are at the stage that’s sensitive, preparatory stages,” he said.

According to Cacdac, the DMW has listed at least 192 OFWs ready for repatriation and 413 “in the pipeline” or undergoing evaluation by the Philippine embassy and Lebanese immigration.

Migrante unimpressed

Also on Thursday, the OFW advocacy group Migrante International staged a protest action in front of the Department of Foreign Affairs to call for a “comprehensive plan” to bring the Filipinos back to the country as quickly as possible.

The group called the government’s attention to the case of some OFWs whose travel documents and residence certificates were taken by their employers.

“The situation for our kababayans in Lebanon is becoming increasingly dangerous by the day,” former Bayan Muna Rep. Ferdinand Gaite said in a statement in support of Migrante. “We are challenging the DFA and other government agencies such as the [DMW] to outline specific steps they will take to ensure the safety and well-being of our OFWs.” —with a report from Jacob Lazaro

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