QUEZON CITY, (PIA) — A total of 290 Filipinos were successfully repatriated from Lebanon over the weekend, as tensions in the Middle East continue to escalate, according to Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac.
The chartered flight from Beirut landed at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1. Among those aboard were 233 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) along with their 36 dependents, as well as 21 other Filipinos and 23 of their dependents.
This repatriation marks the largest group of Filipinos evacuated from Lebanon in response to the ongoing conflict in the region.
Each individual will receive financial assistance, including P75,000 from the DMW’s AKSYON Fund, P75,000 from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), and P20,000 from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
Since October 2023, a total of 903 OFWs and 47 dependents have returned to the Philippines as part of the ongoing repatriation efforts.
Cacdac also assured that 86 Filipinos currently remain safe in a DMW shelter in Beirut, receiving adequate care, food, and financial assistance.
Lebanon remains at Alert Level 3, which allows for voluntary repatriation, but cannot be escalated to Alert Level 4 due to the country’s inability to issue exit clearances for Filipinos.
The continuous efforts of the DMW and other associated agencies are in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to evacuate Filipinos to ensure their safety amid the prevailing unrest. (JLN/PIA-NCR)
(Photo courtesy: DMW)
