Philippine Government Repatriates Six More OFWs from Lebanon Amid Conflict

Manila — In the wake of heightened tensions in the Middle East, six overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from Lebanon were repatriated to the Philippines this Friday, officials reported. This group represents the second contingent of Filipino nationals returning due to the intensified discord between Israel and Hezbollah.

According to Philippines News Agency, this arrival increases the total number of OFWs repatriated from Lebanon to ten, with the first group of four having returned on October 28. The DMW’s officer-in-charge, Undersecretary Hans Leo Cacdac, was present at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 to receive the workers arriving via Emirates Airways flight EK336. Subsequent to their arrival, the OFWs were escorted to the Bureau of Quarantine for necessary health screenings, as informed by DMW spokesperson Toby Nebrida.

Earlier, Cacdac had mentioned that there were 124 OFWs in Lebanon who had signaled their desire to return to the Philippines amidst the ongoing hostilities near the Lebanese border. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) notes there are around 3,000 Filipinos residing in southern Lebanon, many of whom now face increased risks due to the conflict.

The DFA had escalated its Crisis Alert to Level 3 for Lebanon on October 21, advocating for voluntary departure from the region for Filipinos. This advisory came as hostilities surged following missile exchanges across the northern border of Israel and Lebanon. Hezbollah, the Lebanese militant group involved, along with its ally Hamas, has been classified as a terrorist organization by the United States and several other nations.