The situation of Filipinos on the Gazan border with Egypt is not totally good despite having fled from areas heavily affected by the fighting between Israeli troops and Hamas militants, an official of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) bared Tuesday, Oct. 17.
DFA Undersecretary Eduardo Jose de Vega said the agency received a report that some of the Filipinos were constrained to consume expired food due to lack of supplies there.
"Hindi ideal [yung situation nila]. Hindi ako magsisinungaling na napakaganda ng situation nila. May balita kami, may isang nanay nga kumakain na ng expired bread kasi kulang yung food (Their situation is not ideal. I won't lie that their situation is good. We've learned that a mother already ate expired bread due to lack of food)," de Vega said at a public briefing.
At least 78 of 135 registered Filipinos in Gaza already reached the southern part of war-torn Gaza, where the Palestinian territory's border with Egypt is located.
They are still waiting for the opening of a humanitarian corridor to allow them entry into Egypt before being repatriated to the Philippines.
While they are safe there, de Vega said, "the question is how are their supplies, considering there is a blockade and the food is limited."
"Hindi all the time may 78 [sa border], kasi yung iba, dahil ilang araw na naghihintay, pupunta sila sa other parts of southern Gaza at nakakahanap ng lugar (Not all the time there are 78 Filipinos present at the border, because some of them are going to other parts of southern Gaza to look for place to stay), he said.
"May isa ngang Pilipina, inaalok yung bahay nya kung saan naninirahan yung ibang mga Pilipino (There was a Filipina who already offered her home for others because some Filipinos are already staying there)," he added.
De Vega said the Philippine government is hoping that the human corridor would open within the week as it is being discussed by the Egyptian authorities.
He said officials from the Philippine Embassy in Cairo already rented a bus that can accommodate all the Filipinos in Gaza.
Once Filipinos cross Rafah, the Gazan border with Egypt, they would travel for about six hours to Cairo, where their repatriation would be processed.
De Vega said the embassy already submitted to the Egyptian government the list of names of Filipinos to expedite the validation of their documents.
"Ang worry natin... gaano katagal sila ipo-process doon sa Egyptian side para sa kanilang mga visas.. depending na lang iyon sa Egyptian government. (We worry about how long the repatriates would be processed by the Egyptian sides with regards to their visas. That depends on the Egyptian government)," he said.
As of Tuesday, three Filipinos remain missing after war between the two sides broke out on Oct. 7, while three were killed.
The Israeli government already extended assistance to the family of slain Filipinos and is now working on the repatriation of their remains, which could happen within the month.
Meanwhile, a total of 17 Filipinos who requested to return home from Israel are arriving on Wednesday, he said. They were the ones who requested repatriation due to fear of aggravation of economic situation or fear of safety in the Jewish state.
"Sa Gaza, though, wala pa kaming maconfirm na date kung kailan makakarating ng Cairo, at maiuuwi natin (But in Gaza, we do not have any confirmed dates where can they arrive in Cairo for repatriation)," de Vega said.