ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)

House Deputy Majority Leader ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo has received a guarantee from a topnotch source that the 28,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Israel are safe amid the continuous fighting in that country.

The state of the OFWs was the primary topic discussed during recent courtesy visit of Israel Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss to Tulfo's office at the House of Representatives in Batasan, Quezon City

“My question, Mr. Ambassador, is that we have a lot of Filipino friends and they have a lot of relatives in Israel right now. How are they?” Tulfo asked the envoy. 

Fluss responded by guaranteeing the safety of the Filipinos in their country despite the ongoing hostilities there.

“We're treating them like Israelis. In their homes, we have a shelter or a safety room,” Fluss told the senatorial aspirant. 

“They (Filipinos) are not sent close to the borders or war-torn area. We are making sure that where they stay they have a safety room, a shelter, and if they need anything, they have a number they can call,” the ambassador added. 

The official explained that the Filipino workers were working in their “green zone” or “safe area”, and were far from danger.

At present, more than 28,000 OFWs remain in Israel. Many of them are caregivers and hotel workers.

Israel needs more Pinoys

The ambassador also relayed to Tulfo that they were currently in need of more Filipino workers in their country but they could not hire more because of the existing deployment ban of Filipinos to Israel. 

“We need workers in agriculture, in construction, in industries, in hotels, in restaurants. There are about 11 professions that we are looking for workers from overseas,” Fluss mentioned. “The war has totally affected the deployment of Filipinos.” 

He also said in certainty that Israel is helping the families of Filipinos who have been affected by the war, such as when someone dies or is held hostage while in their country.

“They are getting full support from the Israeli government, like any other Israeli victim of terror. So they get, they need a family to get a monthly income. If they need special assistance for education, for medical. So those families are being taken care of. We had two Filipinos that were taken hostage. Of course both were released. One of them is back here (in the Philippines),” Fluss said.