From a war zone back to the homeland she left in search of a better life, the remains of Filipina caregiver Mary Ann de Vera arrived in the country on Saturday.

In a statement, the Department of Migrant Workers said De Vera’s family and government officials received her remains upon arrival, joined by Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Dana Kursh and several members of Congress.

Kursh said the Israeli government has committed to provide lifetime support to De Vera’s family.

The Israeli envoy explained that under Israeli law, families of individuals injured or killed during a conflict — Israeli citizens and foreign nationals — are entitled to lifetime benefits.

Shared grief

“As her family mourns her passing, the people of Israel share in their grief. We extend our deepest sympathies and stand in solidarity with her loved ones during this time of sorrow,” Kursh said.

De Vera was killed on 28 February, the first day of the war, in an Iranian retaliatory strike after Israel and the US launched an attack on Iran that killed hundreds of people.

The 32-year-old caregiver was helping her elderly ward get to a bomb shelter when a missile struck nearby. She was from Basista, Pangasinan, and had been working in Israel since 2019.

The repatriation of her remains was delayed following the closure of airports in the conflict zone.