Amid conflict, OFWs unfazed

A Filipina spa attendant working in Lebanon confirmed that the attacks by Israeli forces in Lebanon were conducted with precision and did not target civilian communities, particularly Christians.

“We remain safe here in central Lebanon because the attacks only target places believed to be the lair of Hezbollah. Also, every time there is an attack, civilians here receive alerts via text messages on our cell phones,” Nhelsie Villanueva said.

Villanueva, who works at the 7th Heaven Spa along Jal Eldib Highway in northern Beirut, made the observation during her interview on DAILY TRIBUNE’s digital show “Usapang OFW” on Thursday.

However, despite being in a relatively safe zone, Villanueva said the fear lingers, especially when they hear rockets being launched and jet fighters flying overhead.

“I take a Stilnox (sleeping pill) to get a good night’s sleep because, from time to time, we hear sonic booms. My earphones are always on, so I do not hear those sounds. We have incurred trauma, but I always talk to God and ask Him not to take me just yet. Still, life must go on,” Villanueva said.

She has been working in northern Lebanon for more than five years.

When asked if she would consider the repatriation offered by the Department of Migrant Workers, she said she would think about it but was not planning to return to the Philippines anytime soon.

“I already secured a cross-country job in Poland. I am not ready to go back home yet because I need to work for my family. We can always leave since the Lebanese airport remains operational,” she said.

Villanueva urged Filipinos back home to continue praying for their safety and encouraged fellow OFWs to return home if they felt unsafe in the war-torn area.

On Friday, over 500 overseas Filipino workers arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport from Lebanon.

The Department of Migrant Workers reported a total of 525 OFWs, along with 30 dependents, had arrived from Lebanon as of 17 October.

On 9 October, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. directed Philippine government agencies to mobilize all available resources to repatriate Filipinos from affected areas in the Middle East, including Lebanon.

On 15 October, at least 23 people were killed and 31 injured in a series of airstrikes in several towns and regions in southern and eastern Lebanon, according to the Turkish news organization Anadolu.