Featured image above credit to Philippine Embassy’s social media page.
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(SDN) — President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s top envoy in Israel appealed on Monday, June 23, to stop spreading fake news about the situation in the Middle East.
“There’s already a fake news that claimed the Philippine Embassy already left Israel,” Ambassador Aileen Mendiola said on DZMM TeleRadyo.
She made the appeal as some of the registered 31,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) have approached the embassy for their repatriation as Iran has been retaliating with hundreds of missiles and drones after the Zionist state’s utterly unprovoked bombing on June 13 of the Islamic Republic.
In a later interview over the same broadcast media outfit on the same day, Mendiola said 30 OFWs from Israel and Iran are scheduled to arrive tomorrow, Tuesday, in the country.
In a related development, she said there are 50 OFWs who are confirmed for repatriation in the coming days.
The embassy in a post on its Facebook page revealed that 127 Filipinos lost their homes owing to Iran’s devastating missile impact.
Of the 127, it said “118 have been transferred to temporary housing accommodations and 9 are being oricesed for resettlement.”
Already, the embassy said, 26 OFWs are part of voluntary repatriation. A total of 100 Filipino pilgrims and students have been sent home earlier.
The embassy as expected has also been providing assistance, including 375 Filipinos who received emergency financial assistance, provision of temporary shelter, and relief packages consisting of food, clothes, and hygiene products.
Even as the consequences of Israel’s illegal and unprovoked attack on Iran continue — such as the latter’s retaliation, Marcos has not yet ordered a mandatory repatriation of OFWs in the embattled countries.
On the other hand, the Alert Level 3 had already been raised, meaning Filipinos in Israel are enjoined to undergo voluntary repatriation.
Anyone who responds to the call may contact the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) in Israel, israel@owwa.gov.ph; telephone No. +972.3.602.2496 and on WhatsApp, +972.50.715.6937.
The embassy hotline is +972.54.466.1188.
Embassy personnel are staying in 24/7 for a quick response to affected OFWs.
A total of eight OFWs wee injured in Iran’s counter strikes, one in critical condition, while seven were already sent home.
Meanwhile, social media posts are rife with instances of racism, discrimination, and selfishness among Israeli Jews as they prohibit some foreigners from entering “mamad” (bomb shelters). — EDD K. Usman (/)