Amid Israel-Iran conflict: Cebuano pilgrims stranded in Egypt

CEBU, Philippines — A group of Cebuano pilgrims — including a priest, members of prayer groups, and local officials — remains stranded in Egypt after failing to cross into Israel due to the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict.

Among the stranded is Jaypee Lao, a former entertainment writer for Banat News and The Freeman who now serves as a municipal councilor of Santa Fe, Cebu.

Lao said the group arrived in Cairo, Egypt, on June 11, 2025, to begin a pilgrimage tracing biblical history from the Old Testament to the New Testament, with Egypt as their first stop.

The pilgrims have already climbed Mount Sinai, the biblical mountain where Moses is said to have received the Ten Commandments from God.

According to Lao, while they were on Mount Sinai, they witnessed the interception of missiles in the skies over Israel — a result of Iran’s retaliatory strike that heightened tensions in the region.

The group is currently en route back to Cairo from Mount Sinai, where they plan to wait for further instructions regarding their return flight to the Philippines.

As of this writing, no definitive return schedule has been confirmed. Their travel company, UHX, is still coordinating with the airlines.

Originally, the group was scheduled to fly back to the Philippines via Amman Airport in Jordan. However, due to the airport’s proximity to Israel and the intensifying hostilities, airspace in the area has been closed.

Meanwhile, one of the eight Filipinos injured in Israel is reportedly in critical condition after being hit by a missile during Iran’s retaliatory attack, Philippine Ambassador to Israel Aileen Mendiola-Rau confirmed on Monday, June 16.

According to The Philippine Star, quoting Mendiola-Rau, six of the eight injured Filipinos have been discharged from hospitals, while one remains in critical condition.

The exchange of military strikes between Israel and Iran began on the night of June 13, after Israel reportedly launched over 200 airstrikes targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities, killing several top Iranian military commanders.

Despite the escalating conflict, Ambassador Mendiola-Rau said the majority of the 30,000 Filipino workers in Israel are likely to stay. As of June 13, only 13 out of 24 Filipinos who initially requested repatriation have confirmed their plans to return home.

The Philippine News Agency also reported via its Facebook page that three municipal mayors and other local officials from Eastern Visayas remain in Israel. They are currently taking shelter in a bomb-proof bunker near their hotel.

These officials are in the country for a study visit under the “Promoting Sustainability and Food Security in Urban Areas” program. The stranded officials include Barugo, Leyte Mayor Aaron Balais; Lawaan, Eastern Samar Mayor Athene Mendros; and Hindang, Leyte Mayor Betty Cabal. — (FREEMAN)