President Marcos has urged Filipinos in Lebanon and Israel to return to the country while flights are still available amid the tensions in the Middle East.
"We hope that you will avail yourselves of our repatriation program while flights are available," Marcos told Filipinos in Lebanon and Israel on Tuesday, Oct. 8.
He added that "in the meantime, heed the advisories of the Philippine Embassy and the Lebanese and Israeli governments."
Marcos made the call during his remark before departing Manila for Laos to participate in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summits.
The President reassured the public that the Philippine government is doing everything it can to ensure the safety of over 40,000 Filipino nationals in Lebanon and Israel and promised them to bring the Filipino nationals home.
He also said that no Filipino has been reported injured in the crisis—the wave of attacks against Hezbollah targets in the past few days, and the consequent Iranian reprisal against Israel.
"Our embassies have been coordinating with the Filipino community on this matter and working on securing exit papers and transportation for those returning," he said.
Of the 1,500 initial applicants for repatriation from Lebanon, a third have already gone home, while around 500 are still having their papers processed.
Marcos said the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) will expedite the process while Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) will be chartering the flights to bring them home.
For October, the President said, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and OWWA will be bringing home at least 162 distressed overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from Israel.
"I expect the Secretaries of the DFA and the DMW and the Administrator of OWWA to report to me with updates daily," he said.
Meanwhile, the President also called on all parties to refrain from escalating the violence and to work towards a peaceful resolution of the conflict.
"We emphasize the need to adhere to international humanitarian law, especially the principles of proportionality and distinction in response to security threats, and to ensure the protection of civilians at all times," he said.
"The Philippines will always stand for the principles of international law and the safety of Filipinos in the Philippines and overseas," he added.