OFW repatriation from Lebanon hits 1,000-mark

The number of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) repatriated from Lebanon is on track to reach 1,000 by mid-November, nearly a year after the trouble in the country began in October 2023.

In a press briefing on 6 November, Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Undersecretary Felicitas Bay said the total would include 100 OFWs expected to return on 8 and 9 November, which would bring the overall count to approximately 1,030.

Bay said coordination with Lebanon was ongoing for exit clearances, with 214 Filipinos still awaiting approval. Of these, 166 are currently staying in government-provided shelters in Beirut.

Since the turmoil in Lebanon started, over 500 Filipinos have been repatriated, accounting for about 10 percent of the estimated 11,000 Filipino workers in that country. Meanwhile, in Israel, 972 Filipinos have been repatriated, with more expected in the coming weeks as the situation there remains fluid.

Israel is fighting Hezbollah in Lebanon after the terror group joined Hamas, another terrorist organization that is fighting Israel in Gaza.

Meanwhile, the DMW has temporarily halted the processing of workers for Korea’s seasonal workers program in several Philippine local government units following reports of illegal recruitment.