Despite the desperate calls from the government, overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Beirut, Lebanon are not inclined to be repatriated as the Middle East country halted commercial airline flights amid a worsening conflict with Israel.
The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) renewed its call for Filipinos to take advantage of the voluntary repatriation program which is currently being implemented under an Alert Level 3.
DMW officer-in-charge Undersecretary Felicitas Bay emphasized that the government continues to actively promote and facilitate the program to ensure the safety of the Filipinos in Lebanon.
“This call is for all Filipinos, not just OFWs, but also for those residing in Lebanon, to heed the government’s appeal for voluntary repatriation,” Bay said.
She stressed the importance of acting swiftly instead of waiting for the situation to deteriorate further before deciding to return home.
As of Saturday, Bay said, there were approximately 11,000 Filipinos in Lebanon, including their dependents.
Around 1,100 of them had expressed their intention to be repatriated. However, a significant number have since withdrawn their applications.
“We have received information that some individuals initially registered for the program through written communications or phone calls, but later decided to retract their registration or chose not to proceed with their earlier decision,” Bay said.
DMW Secretary Hans Cacdac said Friday the hesitation of most OFWs, especially those who work as domestic helpers, was mostly due to concerns over job security and their loyalty to their employers.
“This may explain why many have not availed of the repatriation flights, as they were convinced by their employers to stay or they feel obligated to remain due to their need of employment,” Cacdac said.
Despite the reluctance of some, a dozen Filipinos are expected to arrive from Lebanon on 3 October, according to the undersecretary.
Only one enemy in Beirut
One of the OFWs staying put is Jennifer Francas Hinggo who said the conflict was confined to southern Lebanon.
“Here in Beirut, we have only one enemy, unlike in the Philippines, you have to contend with a lot of problems. Earning a livelihood is difficult in the Philippines, most of the Filipinos in Lebanon will choose to face the bombs rather than return home,” she said.
Another worker, Lhing Zafe, said on social media that the situation in Lebanon was getting worse. “We should all take care and regularly check updates from the embassy. Let us pray for the safety of everyone. It is only now that I experienced being in a situation after my two decades here in Lebanon.”
“To the families we left behind and those whom we know in the Philippines, we are safe but the explosions are frightening and cause trauma. Join me in praying for the civilians caught in the conflict. Let us all keep safe,” she said.
The returning OFWs were initially scheduled to arrive in the Philippines on 26 September but their flights were temporarily suspended due to the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. Two more repatriation flights are expected in the coming weeks.
On 27 September, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega said the agency planned to raise the alert level for Filipinos in Lebanon to Level 4, which would mandate the mandatory evacuation of Filipino nationals.
However, no decision has yet been made as officials continue to closely monitor the situation.