Israel Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss cited the remarkable feedback Filipino workers have been getting in his country, while underscoring the growing demand for more Pinoy caregivers and hotel workers in Israel.

“Filipinos are the nicest people on earth. I don’t think anybody can argue about that,” said Fluss, who noted that his own father-in-law is being taken care of by a Filipina.

He added: “They’re very much service-oriented, they can communicate in English, they are very reliable.”

Fluss said this was the main reason why Israeli families prefer Filipinos over other nationalities in caring for their elderly.

“The (Israeli) family is giving trust because the Filipinos are trustworthy people, and they understand (our) culture. They are really good, they are excellent,” he stated.

Fluss visited the Manila Bulletin on Monday, March 31, where he held a dialogue with the newspaper’s editors.

FLUSS@MB -- Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss (fourth from left) meets with editors of the Manila Bulletin (MB) on Monday, March 31, 2025, at the MB Head Office in Intramuros, Manila. (John Louie Abrina)

According to the envoy, Filipinos are also highly regarded in the hotel industry in Israel, which is experiencing a boom despite the ongoing conflict with neighboring countries.

“I also hear very good sort of assessments and a lot of satisfaction from the hotel association. When you travel to Dubai, when you go to Dubai, there’s a lot of Filipinos and they're very much appreciated, Fluss noted.

The ambassador disclosed that there are about 28,000 Filipinos in Israel, after about 1,000 left the country in the aftermath of the deadly October 7,2023-attack of Hamas in Israel.

“But ever since (the attack), everything has returned to normal (in Israel). It’s business as usual,” Fluss said.

He also pointed out that, ever since the conflict with Palestine broke out, there have been 20,000 Palestinians who have been laid off from jobs in Israel, creating a huge void in labor.

“The attack has led to a reevaluation of the use of Palestinian workers in Israel, with a focus on bringing in workers from other countries,” Fluss pointed out.

And to fill that void, Filipinos are on top of most Israeli employers’ list of prospective replacements for the displaced Palestinian workers.

However, Fluss said there is a current freeze order on the deployment of Filipino workers to Israel, which was implemented by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) right after the Hamas attack.

“I think it’s up to the (Philippine) government when that order would be lifted,” he said.

Coming to the end of rotation

Fluss is also into his last months of rotation as Israeli ambassador to the Philippines.

And he is particularly proud of “a milestone event for me in the Philippines”.

Fluss was referring to the inauguration of a 3.5-hectare vegetable greenhouse complex in San Rafael, Bulacan, on March 25, 2025, that will be able to produce yields equivalent to five times those of traditional farms – or up to 500 metric tons of vegetables a year.

The greenhouse complex was developed by Metro Pacific Agro Ventures (MPAV), a unit of Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC), with the help of Israeli agribusiness company LR Group.

“It's so impressive finally to see greenhouses, state of the art, full climate control, water control, so you see really modern production of vegetables. When we talk about food security and you need this is where we should go,” Fluss said.

He pointed out that the greenhouse was most effective in producing leafy vegetables, as the farm can produce about 60,000 heads of lettuce each month.

“It was a fantastic visit for me to see that we can really create real deep partnerships with Israeli and Filipino business,” the envoy added, as he also cited the recent enthusiasm shown by MPIC Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Manny V. Pangilinan in agriculture, and food production.

Another project Fluss is upbeat about, although he will no longer see it come to fruition as he would have already returned to Israel by then, would be the inauguration of the biggest dairy farm in the country – Carmen’s Best.

The ice cream and dairy brand is now owned by MPIC after it acquired a majority stake in 2022.

“So, for me, the next one, which will be inaugurated after I leave, will be in September, the biggest dairy farm. This will be in Laguna with Carmen’s Best,” he excitedly pointed out.

According to him, the farm is now currently being upgraded and modernized in another joint undertaking by MPIC and LR Group.

“It’s going to be a super modern dairy farm. It’s going to (produce), not only ice cream, but milk and yogurts,” Fluss said.