The Department of Migrant Workers Officer-in-Charge, Hans Leo Cacdac, confirmed on Thursday that there are 22 OFWs who have requested repatriation in the ongoing Israel-Palestine war.

Cacdac said that a total of 22 OFWs, 19 caregivers, and three hotel workers have tapped their assistance for repatriation.

"So far, there are 22 OFWs, 19 caregivers, and three hotel workers in general. Obviously, we have been monitoring them if they are on safe grounds,"

Cacdac stated that they have advised the OFWs who wanted to be repatriated to accomplish their contract for them to have a job to return to.

"We have been advising them also in labor concerns on matters involving their labor situation with their respective employers. For the most part, the individuals who were asking for repatriation shall have already accomplished their contract, finished their contract, or at least had a good understanding or agreement with their employers for them to not have an adverse break and have a job to return to."

The OIC added that some of the OFWs who asked for assistance are based in the southern region.

"Some of our OFWs who had required help on the ground, which we already referred to the Israeli Defense Forces—there is an area in the southern region that is a no-enter zone because the Israeli Defense Forces are nearing the Gaza border to help and relocate the OFWs to safer ground. There will be people assisting the rescued OFWs, and will be visited by the Labor Attache and Welfare officers to monitor them,"

The Department of Migrant Workers and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration will be providing various forms of assistance to the OFWs in Israel.

"We have our financial assistance co-sharing with one counterpart assistance measure from the DMW and then OWWA, and we will also be mindful of the children because children are the basic reason why an OFW becomes an OFW in the first place. We will also provide livelihood assistance and reintegration assistance because their livelihood and employment would be disrupted. So, for employment assistance, we could make that available to them, job facilitation, and livelihood assistance. We would also provide livelihood assistance through the National Reintegration Center. Psychosocial assistance is in place as well," Cacdac said.

As of 12 October, the Department of Migrant Workers has received a total of 120 requests for assistance.