'Bring home Filipinos in war-torn Lebanon'

WITH Israeli air and ground operations in Lebanon intensifying, Sen. Imee Marcos on Sunday called on the government to bring home all Filipinos in the Middle Eastern country. "I call upon the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) to evacuate all Filipinos from dangerous areas in Lebanon and to repatriate them to the Philippines as soon as possible," said Marcos, who chairs the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. The situation in Lebanon is becoming very dangerous as new Israeli airstrikes hit Beirut and Israeli forces operate deeper in the southern portions of the country, she said. The Lebanese health ministry reported that more than 2,000 people have been killed in the conflict. "Unfortunately, the circumstances in Lebanon may worsen, as there is no sign that the hostilities will cease anytime soon. The situation is already an Alert Level 4 Crisis. More civilians, including Filipinos, will undoubtedly be in harm's way," Marcos said. "This is a risk that the Philippine government should never take. Thus, I strongly urge all concerned government agencies to immediately initiate all the necessary steps to ensure the safety of the affected Filipinos," she added.