Pinoys in Israel seeking repatriation climb to 109 after Iran's missile attacks

MANILA, Philippines — At least 24 Filipinos in Israel have requested to be brought back to the Philippines as both Israel and Iran continue to exchange tit-for-tat missile attacks.

Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac said this brings the total number of Filipinos seeking repatriation to 109 — 85 of whom were already waiting to be repatriated to the Philippines before Israel launched an attack on Iran last week.

"So far, 24 have manifested their wish to come home after the attack on Iran. This is a live count, it is increasing every day," Cacdac said at an interview on ANC's Headstart on Tuesday, June 17.

Israel closed its airspace shortly after it launched hundreds of strikes targeting Iranian nuclear and military sites on June 13 — its most serious attack on Iran in history.

On Monday, both countries entered their fifth day of firing waves of ballistic missiles at each other even as foreign powers have urged them to de-escalate.

Repatriating Filipinos from Israel now may require a longer waiting time as Israel's airport remains shut amid Iran's ongoing air campaign, with no indication of when it might reopen, Philippine Ambassador to Israel Aileen Mendiola-Rau said yesterday.

Cacdac said, however: "We are confident we will find a way, as mentioned by Ambassador Aileen, we can bring them home safely at the soonest time possible."

The Philippine ambassador said at a radio interview on Monday that they may explore a possible land route that will take Filipinos through Jordan or possibly Egypt. But "details will have to be undisclosed at this stage," Cacdac said.

Cacdac also said it is possible to "have a discussion or engagement with the Israeli side on the possibility of reopening the airspace," but did not give further details.

Some OFWs bound for Tel Aviv, Israel, and Amman, Jordan were earlier stranded in Dubai following the shutdown of major airports in the region. At least 18 have been repatriated to the Philippines as of Monday.

Filipinos caught in the crossfire

At least seven Filipinos in Israel have been confirmed injured from the missile attacks. One is in critical condition and is currently at the Intensive Care Unit of Shamir Medical Center in Be'er Ya'akov, southeast of Tel Aviv.

"Her doctors reported she is conscious and her complexion has somewhat improved," Cacdac said of the critically injured Filipino, who works as a caregiver. "It was pale the other day... She will have to undergo an operation once it is safer to do so."

RELATED: 1 Filipino in 'critical' condition after Iran's retaliatory missiles on Israel 

Most of Israel's estimated 30,000 Filipinos have avoided physical injury, and neither the DFA nor the DMW has reported any deaths. 

There have also been no Filipino casualties in Iran so far, according to Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega.

But at least 46 Filipinos in Israel have been displaced after the missiles' destruction of their residences, according to data shared by De Vega to reporters. 

In Rehovot, south of Tel Aviv, several Filipinos had their residences or apartments damaged by missile strikes. The embassy has since relocated them to temporary housing and provided financial assistance. 

Like the one Filipino in critical condition, most in Israel work as caregivers and appear to be reluctant to leave their employers, Cacdac said.

"Seventy-five percent of OFWs in Israel are caregivers. By the very nature of their work they take care of their employers," Cadac said. "Some find it difficult to go home."

"[There is also] the matter of their financial earnings. But we have resolved that because we provide them at least four to six months salary as financial assistance upon their return," the DMW secretary said, adding that the Technical Education And Skills Development Authority also provides reintegration assistance. 

The Israeli cities of Tel Aviv and Haifa have been targeted by most of the missile strikes so far, but Cacdac warned that Filipinos throughout Israel should take precautions since no area can be considered completely safe.

"It's difficult at this stage to say where people should go in terms of which is the safer ground between cities. But we are providing temporary accommodation at selected points," Cacdac said. 

Filipinos in Israel in need of assistance can reach out to the embassy's 24-hour emergency line at +972544661188 or call the number designated for assistance to nationals at +972-50911-4017.   — with reports by Jean Mangaluz