ILOILO CITY – The provincial government of Iloilo is monitoring the status of 65 Ilonggos in Lebanon as tensions between Hezbollah and Israel escalated.
A HELP desk at the Iloilo Provincial Capitol in Iloilo City is open to families of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in the province who might be affected by the conflict in the Middle East. (Tara Yap)
“So far, they’re safe,” said Cynthia Dario, acting head of the Public Employment Service Office (PESO).
Iloilo Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. has ordered PESO and Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) to activate the help desk for easier linkage between Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in the Middle East country, their families, and concerned government agencies.
The Task Force Bulig Ilonggo help desk is open 24/7 onsite and online.
Dario said one Ilonggo OFW wants to be repatriated, but the OFW’s sickly employer has not granted permission yet.
Another concern of PESO-Iloilo is the undocumented OFWs in Lebanon.
Citing data from Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), Dario said there may be 200 undocumented workers in Lebanon.
Dario said these OFWs may not have renewed their registration with OWWA and might be facing bigger risks once the tensions escalate.