THE Department of Foreign Affairs yesterday urged Filipinos in Lebanon to avail themselves of government’s repatriation program and come home before sporadic clashes between Israeli forces and the Iran-backed Hezbollah group in the country’s southern border worsen.
The DFA said there are 17,537 Filipinos living in Lebanon, including 67 living in the southern border where the clashes are concentrated.
Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo Jose de Vega said Filipinos should seize the opportunity while they still have the time.
“They (Filipinos) are being informed that there is a program for their repatriation and advised to go home,” De Vega said in mixed Filipino and English on Teleradyo Serbisyo.
“We are trying to avoid repatriation during gunfire, clashes and conflicts,” he added.
The DFA has placed Lebanon under Alert Level 3 (voluntary repatriation), under its four-tiered alert system.
De Vega, in another radio interview, clarified the DFA is not forcing Filipinos to leave Lebanon but said it would be better if they will come home now.
“It doesn’t mean we are forcing them to leave and come home. It’s just an advice that while it’s still early, they come because the situation there may escalate and a war may erupt,” he told radio dzBB said in Filipino.
De Vega said Filipinos who want to temporarily return to Manila should contact the embassy in Beirut through Assistance to Nationals Hotline +96170858086 and the Migrant Workers Office at +96179110729.
Last week, the embassy urged Filipinos living in the southern part of Lebanon to leave as tension continued to flare along the border with Israel, following the attack by Hamas, which prompted a harsh response from the Jewish state.
Hezbollah fought a war with Israel in 2006, which left over 1,200 dead in Lebanon and a large tract of the country damaged, and 160 dead in Israel, mostly soldiers.
Meanwhile, De Vega said the embassies in Jordan and Egypt are prepared to repatriate Filipinos from Gaza Strip, who are waiting for the opening of the Rafah border crossing.
There are 137 Filipinos in Gaza, mostly married to Palestinian nationals.
The DFA has called for the mandatory evacuation of Filipinos in Gaza.
“We are ready at a moment’s notice,” De Vega said when sought for an update on the repatriation of Filipinos from Gaza.
He said 74 Filipinos are at the border crossing, waiting for its opening by Egyptian authorities, along with other foreign nationals.
The crossing was opened briefly on Saturday to allow the entry of 20 trucks carrying aid to Palestine, home of about 2.3 million.
Gaza has seen daily aerial bombardments by Israel forces since the Hamas attack, while preparations for ground invasion are underway.
