BY JOCELYN MONTEMAYOR and ASHZEL HACHERO
AT least 38 Filipinos in the Gaza Strip have requested repatriation, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega said yesterday as clashes between Israel’s security forces and Hamas fighters continued.
De Vega, in a briefing in Malacañang, said the Philippine Embassy in Amman in Jordan, which has jurisdiction over Philippine affairs in Palestine, received the request and the government is now working on it.
“According to our embassy in Amman, there are about 38 who’ve asked to be repatriated and we are in the process and we are working on it. So doon po sa Gaza, mayroong nagpapa-repatriate. Sa Israel, wala po (In Gaza, there are requests for repatriation. In Israel, none),” he said.
Government data showed there are 137 Filipinos in Gaza who are not overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) but Filipinas who are married to Palestinians or Filipino families with minor children.
De Vega said the government is working on the repatriation issue “diplomatically” since the Philippines cannot simply hire or charter an airplane since there are no flights to and from Gaza. He added that the normal way out of Gaza is through the border of Israel, “which is obviously closed.”
The Gaza Strip has been de facto under the control of the militant group Hamas since 2006. The Hamas group last Saturday launched a massive attack in Israel prompting the Israelis to retaliate.
The Department of Foreign Affairs, through spokesperson Teresita Daza, said nine families composed of 38 Filipinos and 11 Palestinian spouses have requested for repatriation to Manila.
Daza said the information came from the country’s embassy in Amman, Jordan which has jurisdiction over Gaza Strip.
Of the 38 Filipinos, 17 are minors whose ages range from two to 15 years old.
On Monday, the DFA said 25 Filipinos in Gaza have requested repatriation to Manila.
ALERT LEVEL
Ambassador Pedro Laylo Jr, in an update on the situation of Filipinos in Israel, said based on the assessment of the Israeli government, security authorities, and realities on the ground, the Philippine Embassy in Israel recommends that Alert Level 1 be maintained.
“While the situation in Israel remains tense in certain areas, the Israeli security forces have regained control of the affected areas in the south as of 12 a.m. of Monday, 09 October 2023. Despite continued rocket attacks from Gaza, the areas hit are mostly located near the Gaza border. At present, there is no prohibition on movement here in Israel, except in specific areas of conflict (within the vicinity of the Gaza border,” he said.
“The Ben Gurion Airport remains open, although only 50% of the air carriers are currently flying to and from Israel. The Israeli government maintains that repatriation is not necessary at the moment, and constantly assures the international community that during emergency situations, the Israel Defense Forces and the Home Front Command have established protocols for evacuating not only its nationals, but anyone in Israel regardless of nationality.
Earlier yesterday, De Vega said no alert level has been raised in Israel but Gaza, “by assumption… they are on alert Level 3.”
Alert level 3 means the area is restricted and repatriation for Filipinos is voluntary.
He said the Philippine embassy in Jordan has recommended the raising of Alert Level 3 in Gaza, but the order is yet to be approved or officially signed by the President.
“But, we are going by that, it’s de facto even without the order officially signed or announced by the President),” he said in mixed Filipino and English.
De Vega said in Israel, none of the 30,500 Filipinos living and working there have asked for repatriation, noting that about 95 percent of them are not living near the conflict-torn areas of southern Israel and the Filipinos there are already used to the armed conflict.
Majority of the 30,500 are in Jerusalem, Haifa and Tel Aviv.
Undersecretary Hans Leo Cacdac, officer-in-charge of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), while there is yet no mandatory evacuation, the Philippine government is ready to evacuate Filipinos in Israel if the clashes escalate and the “Israelis are no longer able to defend the citizenry and are themselves asking for foreigners to leave.”
“The Israeli government is in control of Israel and now they are the ones undertaking operations against Gaza and so we’d like to call eventually for a peaceful solution and respect for international law and hopefully peace will prevail,” he also said.
De Vega said mandatory evacuation of Filipinos in Israel is not yet being considered by the government.
“Mandatory evacuation is done, in case, there is a breakdown of authority and absolute war. But Israel has a stable government,” he said.
FOUND
The DFA said one of seven Filipinos reported missing in Israel has been found safe.
“The Embassy confirms that one more of the missing Filipino nationals has been accounted for, a female found in a safe area,” Daza said in a statement.
Earlier yesterday, Cacdac and De Vega expressed hope the government would soon find seven missing Filipinos. They said the Israeli government is helping find the missing.
The two also said a reported Filipino fatality has not been confirmed.
Overseas Worker Welfare Administrator Arnel Ignacio, Cacdac, and De Vega urged the public to exercise caution and not just share information without verifying it as it may endanger the Filipinos in the conflict area, or cause unnecessary fear and panic.
Ignacio said the government is also double checking any information they receive, including those circulating in the traditional and social media, before making any announcement.
He said they are also hoping that the missing seven Filipinos would turn up soon, adding that the number of missing persons has gone down significantly after careful verification.
Consul General and Deputy Chief of Mission Anthony Mandap, in a radio interview, said the Philippine Embassy in Israel is verifying the report of a possible first Filipino fatality in the ongoing clashes. He said based on the report, the unverified fatality is among the missing Filipinos.
Israel Ambassador Ilan Fluss said Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen told him their government is working to find and rescue Israelis and foreign nationals, including Filipinos, who are missing.
“Israel is committed to the well-being of OFWs the same way we are committed to the well-being and protection of Israeli citizens. There is no discrimination here,” he said.
TRAVEL, DEPLOYMENT
De Vega said there is no ban on travel to Israel but urged those planning to visit Holy Land sites to hold off their trip while hostilities are ongoing. He said while the Holy places that they intend to visit are far from the conflict area, it is not “normal” to visit places that are under a state of war.
“We haven’t put a travel ban on Israel. But our embassy has issued a travel advisory, so as much as possible, avoid traveling right now… We are not telling you not to go, but we are advising you that it’s best, if possible, to postpone them until we are absolutely sure that the hostilities have ended,” he said.
After all, even the Prime Minister of Israel has said that we are in a state of war. So, it’s not normal for somebody to want to visit a country which is in a state of war. So it’s not a ban… an advisory is held off for now,” he added.
Cacdac reiterated there is no deployment ban for new workers to Israel. He said the Philippines, however, is still waiting for the go signal from the Israeli government on the right time to send the more than 100 Filipino hotel workers who were hired under a government-to-government arrangement.
Under the agreement, 1,800 Filipino hotel workers will be deployed to Israel in a span of two years, or around 100 a month. This is the second year of implementation.
Meanwhile, the Episcopal Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People (ECMI) of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) is calling on the faithful to pray for peace in Israel.
“We turn to God for the change of heart, for conversion, that they renounce violence, and give peace a chance. Conflicts are resolved thru dialogue. Violence only begets violence,” said Bishop Ruperto Santos, CBCP-ECMI vice chairman .
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said it is ready to extend voters registration in Israel if needed.
About 2,000 Filipinos have registered as overseas voters, said Comelec Chairman George Garcia.
“We will see if an extension will be necessary since the overseas voter registration runs for two years, or until 2024,” he said.
On Monday, Garcia said the agency is looking at an indefinite suspension overseas voter registration in Israel. The Philippine Embassy in Israel is closed “until further notice.” — With Gerard Naval
