TESDA offers training to 62 repatriated OFWs from Israel

MANILA, Philippines — The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) said 62 repatriated overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from war-torn Israel are set to undergo skills training to help improve their skills and be ready for re-employment.

In a statement, the TESDA said the 62 OFWs have already been given Certificates of Scholarship Grant Commitment.

“With TESDA’s commitment to the upskilling and reskilling of the Filipino workforce, the agency extends its programs to the repatriated OFWs, who were affected by the Israel-Palestine conflict and their beneficiaries,” said TESDA Secretary Suharto Mangudadatu.

Mangudadatu said the Certificate of Scholarship Grant Commitment issued to the OFWs shall serve as proof of scholarship assistance from TESDA.

The certificates may be presented at the nearest TESDA office by the OFWs in order to avail of free skills training for themselves or for their respective beneficiaries.

Meanwhile, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) reiterated its call for the remaining 39 Filipinos still in Gaza to seek repatriation.

In a dzBB interview yesterday, DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Eduardo de Vega said most of them remained in Gaza because their Palestinian spouses were not yet allowed to join them in crossing the Rafah border to Egypt.

He urged the Filipinos to take advantage of the pause in Israel’s offensive in order to flee the escalating conflict.

Of the 137 Filipinos in Gaza, 98 had left Gaza and crossed the border to Egypt. The first batch of 34 Filipino repatriates arrived with their families on Friday.

The repatriation of the initial group of 34 Filipino nationals with their families was made possible with the help of the Philippine embassies in Israel, Jordan and Egypt, DFA Secretary Enrique Manalo said in a statement yesterday.

“The DFA is working to facilitate the repatriation of more Filipinos, and I am hopeful of further positive news in the coming days,” he added.

Two Filipino migrant workers set for repatriation were able to cross to Jordan from the West Bank, which was placed under Alert Level 2.