President Marcos said the government is working with different agencies to craft a plan to repatriate more than 400 Filipinos who are willing to return home amid the ongoing conflict in Lebanon.

Marcos said this in an interview on the sidelines of the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits and Related Summits in Vientiane, Lao Peoples’ Democratic Republic on Wednesday, Oct. 9.

"I asked to speak to all of the concerned agencies para malaman paano talaga, paano natin iuuwi ang mga Pinoy na naipit ngayon sa Lebanon (so we could determine who to bring home the Filipinos stuck in Lebanon)," he said.

"There are more than 400 now who would want to be repatriated. So, basically, we’re just putting the plans together— how we will bring them back home as quickly as possible," he added.

On Wednesday, Marcos convened a Zoom meeting where he directed relevant government agencies to mobilize resources for the safe and timely repatriation of Filipinos affected by the crisis in the Middle East.

During the meeting, he told government officials to evacuate the Filipinos in any way possible. He suggested utilizing assets in nearby areas to quickly assist Filipinos in need.

The repatriation remains at Level 3. Elevating it to Level 4 will depend on the prevailing situation. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Philippine embassy are assessing the situation before changing the response level.

According to President Marcos, a directive was also issued to shipowners, warning them to avoid sailing near the conflict areas to ensure their safety.

Israeli warplanes launched over 30 overnight air raids on the southern suburbs of Beirut on Oct. 6. As of Oct. 7, there are no reported injuries or casualties among Filipinos since the airstrikes focused on southern Lebanon and the southern suburbs of Beirut.

In response to the escalating tensions, the alert level in Lebanon was raised from Level 2 to Level 3 in October 2023, prompting the government to initiate the repatriation of Filipino nationals. The Philippine Embassy in Beirut is mobilizing resources to prepare for a potential widespread conflict.

As of Oct. 8, the Philippine Embassy in Beirut has received 1,721 applications for repatriation, with 511 already repatriated and 171 ready for repatriation.