MANILA: The Philippine government has repatriated 106 Filipinos from Israel amid ongoing Middle East war, Philippine Ambassador to Israel Aileen Mendiola said on Friday (March 20).
In an interview on Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon, Mendiola said the repatriation efforts used multiple border crossings to ensure the safe return of Filipinos.
“We repatriated or assisted in the repatriation of 106 of our fellow citizens. Of this number, 77 were processed via Egypt. In fact, just yesterday, we repatriated 26 more of our countrymen, including a two-month-old infant; the others were assisted via Amman,” she said.
Mendiola said the latest batch of 26 individuals crossed through the Taba Border between Israel and Egypt, while 28 others exited via Jordan through the Allenby or Sheikh Hussein crossings. One individual was also able to return immediately through a humanitarian flight.
Data from Israel’s immigration authorities as of February showed there are 26,675 Filipinos in the country, most of whom work as caregivers.
Despite the security situation, only around 81 Filipinos have so far expressed intent to be repatriated, according to Mendiola.
She said many Filipinos opted to stay due to job stability and the availability of safety infrastructure.
Mendiola also refuted reports of discrimination against migrant workers in accessing bomb shelters, clarifying that Israeli law requires shelters to be open to everyone.
The Philippine Embassy has rolled out measures to support Filipinos, including distributing 665 food packs to hotel workers and maintaining communication through WhatsApp and social media.
She also urged Filipinos to download the “Home Front Command” app and prepare “go bags” containing essential documents, food and medicine.
“It is vital to react at the very first sound of the alarm. Drop everything and seek shelter immediately. Do not attempt to do anything else, prioritize your safety above all,” she said.
Mendiola also warned against the spread of artificial intelligence-generated fake news and images showing “decimated” areas, urging families of overseas Filipino workers to rely on direct communication and official embassy channels. - Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
