Alert level 3 in Israel, Iran
DFA declares amid escalating tensions
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Daily TribuneDFA declares amid escalating tensions
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A MEMBER of the local emergency services watches the destruction at the site of an Iranian missile attack in a residential area in Beersheba in southern Israel, on 20 June. Israel and Iran exchanged fire again, a week into the war between the long-time enemies.
MAYA LEVIN/Agence France Presse
The Philippines has raised the alert level to 3 in Israel and Iran amid the escalating tensions between the two Middle East countries.
In a text message to DAILY TRIBUNE, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Eduardo de Vega confirmed the Philippine government had raised the alert level for both countries.
“Yes, for both countries,” De Vega said. Alert level 3 means the government may carry out voluntary repatriations of Filipinos in both countries.
According to the DFA, there are 30,742 Filipinos in Israel, 1,180 in Iran, and 1,598 in Iraq.
Israel was previously placed under Alert Level 2 following the 7 October 2023 attack by Hamas which killed more than 1,200 people in Israel.
The 7 October attack by Hamas sparked the ongoing war in Gaza, resulting in the deaths of more than 55,600 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
The health ministry said the war has displaced almost the entire population of more than two million Gazans and caused a hunger crisis in the Palestinian enclave.
21 officials on way home
In a related development, Ambassador to Jordan Wilfredo Santos said the 21 Philippine government officials who were evacuated to Jordan from Israel are on their way home to Manila.
Santos said the stranded government officials, who attended an agricultural technology training in Israel, left Jordan on Thursday night.
“They took their return flight to the Philippines. We brought them to the airport, helped them check in, and we sent them off,” he said in a radio interview.
Three of the government officials are town mayors from Eastern Visayas, namely, Lawaan, Eastern Samar Mayor Athene Mendros; Barugo, Leyte Mayor Aron Balais; and Hindang, Leyte Mayor Betty Cabal
They arrived in Tel Aviv on 10 June and were supposed to return to Manila on 20 June.
Santos also said that three of the four Filipino tourists who were stranded in Israel have been repatriated after they crossed the Israel-Jordan border.
In addition, the embassy is facilitating the return of two overseas Filipino workers who are awaiting an available flight back to the Philippines.
“They’re just waiting for a return flight. Flights are not really available right now,” Santos said. “Despite the opening of the airspace, not all airlines are providing services at the moment.”
