Beirut OFW stays amid bombings

An overseas Filipino worker in Beirut, Lebanon has bravely opted to remain amid the chaos rather than be repatriated to the Philippines, highlighting the dire economic hardship her family back home would otherwise face.

Evangeline Joaquin, a dedicated massage therapist working in a spa in Jal Eldib, Lebanon, faced the grim reality on Tuesday as a bomb exploded perilously close to her residence.

Despite the ever-present danger, Joaquin has chosen to stay, driven by the stark truth that her family’s survival depends on the scant income she earns in the war-torn city.

“There were bombs exploded, there is war here indeed. But we cannot leave our jobs. We have to earn for our families back in the Philippines,” she lamented.

Joaquin, who has been working in Lebanon for 18 years, said their place was currently under Alert Level 4. Despite this, she will not go home to the Philippines if given a chance.

“I will stay and work here because life is hard in the Philippines. Even if there is war here, at least I have work to provide for the needs of my family,” she stressed.

Last weekend, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) vowed to provide unwavering support to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) impacted by the Hezbollah-Israel conflict.

DMW Secretary Hans Cacdac affirmed that, in response to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive, the department is fully prepared to offer comprehensive assistance. This includes free repatriation and on-site food provisions, as well as support upon arrival for returning OFWs.

The DMW remains steadfast in its commitment to safeguarding the welfare of Filipinos caught in the crossfire, Cacdac said.

He said the DMW was rigorously monitoring the situation of the Filipinos in the conflict region, and was closely coordinating with the Philippine embassies in Beirut and Tel Aviv.

He said that to date, around 1,100 OFWs have been flown back to the country from Israel, Lebanon, the West Bank and Gaza.

The conflict between Hezbollah and Israel erupted once again following accusations by Israel that Hezbollah, a Lebanon-based militant group, was responsible for the deaths of 12 children in a rocket attack in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights last Saturday.