BY MARY JOY CAVAÑAS
ILOILO City – Of the 23 Ilonggo overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) currently in Israel, only one has expressed a desire to return home due to safety concerns.
“She is located near the Israel-Lebanon border and has shown a clear intent to come back. She works in a hotel, and she mentioned that there are ongoing rallies outside making her feel unsafe,” said Gabriel Felix Umadhay, manager of the Public Employment Service Office (PESO) in Iloilo City.
PESO-Iloilo City is now liaising with the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) to facilitate her repatriation.
“As soon as she arrives in Manila, we will take responsibility for her return to Iloilo City,” Umadhay told Panay News.
Moreover, the concerned Ilongga OFW has sought assistance from the city government to secure employment in local hotels.
According to PESO-Iloilo City records, majority of the 23 Ilonggo OFWs in Israel work as caregivers.
“All 23 OFWs are currently safe. However, nine are in the Tel Aviv region, which is considered a war zone and thus precarious,” Umadhay said.
While one OFW wishes to return, the others have conveyed that they do not currently require evacuation or rescue.
Umadhay said some have relocated to hotels, while others are residing with their employers, many of whom have bomb shelters in their homes.
He emphasized the continuous communication PESO-Iloilo City maintains with the Ilonggo OFWs in Israel, notably through a group chat.
“The group chat has been beneficial. We consistently communicate with them, and they appreciate our ongoing efforts to stay in touch,” he said./PN
