Senators on Sunday pressed for the urgent repatriation of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) caught in the ongoing clash between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Senator Raffy Tulfo, chair of the Senate Committee on Migrant Workers, called for Filipinos to evacuate, as the situation in Lebanon is expected to worsen following recent bombings in its capital, Beirut.

“Although Lebanon remains at Alert Level 3, I encourage all of our fellow citizens in Lebanon to evacuate, if possible, and coordinate with the government to expedite their return to the Philippines,” Tulfo said in a statement.

“Let us not wait for the worsening tensions between Israel and Hezbollah before deciding to return to the Philippines,” he added.

Citing reports from the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), Tulfo noted that the government faces significant challenges in repatriating OFWs from Lebanon due to the cancellation of outbound flights.