48 Filipinos return home from Lebanon

THE Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) reported on Monday night that 11 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), along with 37 other overseas Filipinos (OFs), returned home from war-torn Lebanon. All in all, a batch of 48 Filipinos returned from the Middle Eastern country, currently embroiled in a conflict between Israel and the armed group Hezbollah. They were welcomed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) by a team led by OWWA Repatriations Head Falconi Millar, along with officials from the DMW, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). The repatriates received immediate financial assistance of P75,000 from the DMW's Agarang Kalinga at Saklolo para sa mga OFW na Nangangailangan (Aksyon) fund, the same amount from the OWWA, P20,000 from the DSWD, and skills training vouchers from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda). Since the conflict between Israel and Islamic armed groups from neighboring countries began last year, 461 OFWs and 28 dependents have since returned to the country. "The DMW expects more OFW returnees from Lebanon with the intensified efforts of the Philippine government to repatriate Filipinos to further ensure their safety amidst the escalating Israel-Hezbollah conflict," the DMW said on Monday night. Also, the DMW reported that four Filipino members of the MV Minoan Courage returned home on Sunday. The vessel, which had 21 Filipino seafarers, was struck by Houthi rebels on October 1 while cruising the Red Sea. With seven seafarers already home last October 9, the four were the second batch of Filipino sailors that arrived at NAIA Terminal 3. The four were welcomed by a team led by DMW Sea-based Accreditation Bureau Director Augusto San Diego III, staff members from the OWWA, and representatives from the manpower agency and the shipowners.