Tulfo: PH gov't will do everything to ensure safe return of OFWs from Israel

Senator Raffy Tulfo said on Thursday, Oct. 19 that the Philippine government will do everything in its power to ensure the safe repatriation of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from Israel amid its war with Hamas.

“May mga ayuda ring ibibigay para sa mga nakabalik na sa bansa at scholarship mula sa Technical Education Skills Development Authority (TESDA) para sa kanilang mga anak (There will be assistance provided to those who return and scholarships from TESDA for their children),” Tulfo said.

On Wednesday, Oct. 18, Tulfo welcomed 16 OFWs, along with one infant, who arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3. They were among those who had already expressed their interest in returning to the Philippines due to the war.
 

On the same day, Tulfo, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Migrant Workers, also met with officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) along with fellow lawmakers at the DFA central oiììffice to discuss the current situation of Filipinos in Israel.

Among those who attended the meeting were DFA Secretary Enrique Manalo, Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega of Migrant Workers Affairs, Undersecretary Maria Theresa Lazaro of Bilateral Relations and ASEAN Affairs, Assistant Secretary Mardomel Melicor of Middle East and African Affairs, Pampanga 2nd district Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, OFW Party-list Marissa Rep. “Del Mar” Magsino, KABAYAN Party-list Rep. Ron Salo and ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro. 

Meanwhile, Ambassador to Israel Pedro Laylo Jr., Ambassador to Lebanon Raymond Balatbat, Ambassador to Jordan Wilfredo Santos, Ambassador to Egypt Ezzedin Tago and Charge d'affaires to Syria John Reyes also joined the meeting virtually.

“Patuloy pa din ang close monitoring sa mga Filipino community sa mga lugar na apektado ng giyera kabilang na ang Israel, Gaza at West bank pati ang mga kalapit na bansa. May contingency plan na din ang gobyerno sakaling mas lumala ang sitwasyon sa rehiyon (Close monitoring of the Filipino communities continue in the areas affected by the war which includes Israel and West Bank including other nearby countries),” Tulfo said.

“Puspusan din na nagtratrabaho ang Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) at Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) para sa repatriation ng mga Pinoy sa Israel (The DMW and OWWA is working tirelessely for the repatriation of Filipinos in Israel,” he added.