Nearly 1,000 OFWs seek repatriation from Lebanon

MANILA, Philippines — Around 1,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Lebanon are seeking immediate repatriation amid escalating tensions between Israeli and Hezbollah forces, according to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).

Only 45 OFWs have declared their readiness to go home among those who applied for repatriation, Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac said yesterday.

Over the weekend, 15 OFWs returned from Lebanon and another batch of 45 is set to arrive later this week, Cacdac noted.

“They are going through immigration authorities in Lebanon,” he said.

The Philippine embassy in Beirut previously issued an advisory asking Filipinos there to come home before authorities close down the airport.

“We continue to monitor the situation. There are crisis plans that are in place and ready to be implemented should the situation worsen,” Cacdac said.

The Philippine government has imposed a total ban on the deployment of OFWs to Lebanon.

Since October 2023, the DMW has opened repatriation services and around 356 OFWs have returned from Lebanon, Cacdac said.

There are 11,360 OFWs in Lebanon, most of whom are staying in Beirut, he noted.

The ongoing conflict is in southern Lebanon, Cacdac said.

“No Filipinos are there – they’ve been evacuated. However, there are still some southern cities with some Filipinos there so we’re in direct contact with them,” he disclosed.

Financial assistance will be provided to OFWs returning home from Lebanon.

Repatriated

From Aug. 14 to 16, the Philippine embassy in Beirut has repatriated 27 OFWs.

Of the number, seven were permanent residents, 17 were OFWs and three were minor dependents.

The Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport was crowded as departing flights grew in the past four weeks. The cost of plane tickets increased due to suspensions and cancellations of flights by some airlines.

“The embassy strongly urges all Filipino nationals to avail of the voluntary repatriation program considering the worsening security situation in the country,” the embassy said. — Pia Lee-Brago