MANILA, 26 July 2006 — The International Organization of Migration (IOM) yesterday said it will help repatriate 450 Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) from southern Lebanon as violence between Israeli forces and the Hezbollah continued.
Undersecretary Esteban Conejos of the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the Filipinos will be brought home in separate groups starting next week, in addition to 232 who returned on Sunday.
The IOM will be stepping in and helping with the evacuation as it did during the 1991 Gulf War when the Geneva-based IOM helped repatriate Filipinos from war-torn areas.
From Aug. 1-9, a total of 450 OFWs will be repatriated to the Philippines with the assistance of the IOM, said Conejos.
About 30,000 Filipinos, mostly domestic helpers, were in Lebanon at the start of the conflict.
Conejos clarified that the forced evacuation order issued by Manila applied only to an estimated 2,200 Filipinos in southern Lebanon, while the others, mostly in the capital, Beirut, were told to stay put unless they felt in danger. Conejos said that by Aug. 9, 1,176 workers shall have been repatriated from Lebanon, including those flown home on government-chartered flights.
Foreign Affairs officials also advised Filipino workers in northern Israel to follow instructions from Israel’s Home Front Command regarding rocket attacks and to constantly monitor Israeli radio and TV.
Philippine Ambassador Antonio Modena said the OFWs are relatively safer where they are, living in the residences of their employers dispersed in the various towns and villages, rather than being gathered in one place.
Media reports in Manila said some Lebanese employers have refused to let Filipino maids leave because they have been paid in advance, while other employers have taken them to areas believed safe, or simply abandoned them.
Officials said other Lebanese employers wanted to turn over their Filipino workers only to the Philippine Embassy.
Filipinos who wanted to leave Lebanon have taken shelter in two Roman Catholic churches in Beirut.
Earlier today, DFA spokesman Gilbert Asuque said the second group of 225 Filipino evacuees left Syria for the final leg of their journey from Lebanon to Manila onboard chartered Jordan Aviation A310 plane, which left Damascus airport at 12:01 a.m.
The plane was expected to reach Manila last night.
Francis Al Bicharra, the Philippine ambassador to Lebanon, said arrangements were also made with Qatar Airways to accommodate 50 Filipinos on each flight bound for Manila. Philippine officials are also negotiating with shipping companies to transport some of the Filipino evacuees to Cyprus.
He said about 400 Filipinos still sheltered at the Our Lady of Miraculous Medal church in Beirut were in line for repatriation as more Filipinos continued to flock to the basilica.
The first batch of 232 Filipinos arrived in Manila from Syria on Sunday afternoon. (With reports from INS & Agencies)
