MANILA – Fifteen Filipino citizens are set to return from Lebanon on October 3, part of ongoing repatriation efforts amid escalating tensions in the region, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) announced on Saturday.
According to Philippines News Agency, the returnees were initially scheduled to arrive on September 26, but their flight was delayed due to the suspension of flights, DMW Undersecretary Fely Bay explained during a news forum in Quezon City. The repatriation comes as Lebanon has been raised to Alert Level 3 by the Philippine government due to increased conflict involving Hezbollah and Israel. To date, at least 1,100 Filipinos have registered for voluntary repatriation.
Since October 2023, 430 Filipinos, comprising both residents and workers, have returned to the Philippines. With approximately 11,000 Filipinos currently in Lebanon, Undersecretary Bay urged all to prioritize their safety and consider repatriation. She highlighted the government’s provision of PHP 75,000 in cash assistance to each returnee to help them restart their lives, potentially through new business ventures, with additional support from various governmental offices.
The Philippine Embassy in Lebanon has also been active, advising Filipinos to remain vigilant, particularly in Beirut’s southern suburbs, and to facilitate their safe departure, especially for those undocumented, by coordinating with Lebanese authorities for necessary clearances.
In related developments, Lebanon’s Health Ministry is moving to evacuate hospitals in southern Beirut as Israeli airstrikes intensify. The Ministry has called on facilities in unaffected areas to postpone non-urgent cases to make room for casualties from the targeted zones, marking the most severe attacks in the area since the 2006 conflict between Hezbollah and Israel. These airstrikes have reportedly resulted in significant casualties and structural damage, further exacerbating the humanitarian situation in Lebanon.