76 OFWs Beg to Come Home from Israel as War Gets Worse

There’s a scary fight happening between Israel and Iran, and many Filipino workers living in those countries are now worried. These Filipinos are called Overseas Filipino Workers or OFWs. They went to work in Israel and Iran to earn money for their families.

Now, because of the ongoing conflict, 253 OFWs in Israel said they might want to go back to the Philippines. But so far, only 76 OFWs have officially asked for help to come home.

From that group, the first batch of 26 OFWs is expected to arrive in the Philippines on Tuesday. Another 50 OFWs will follow later this week.

Meanwhile, in Iran, only 8 Filipinos have asked to be brought home. Not many have requested help from there because the Philippine government doesn’t have an office in Iran, which makes it harder to give quick assistance.

Some sad news: eight Filipinos have been injured in the middle of the conflict. One of them had an operation and is still in the hospital.

Even though the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) already said both Israel and Iran are on Alert Level 3 (which means the area is dangerous), many OFWs are still unsure if they want to go back to the Philippines.

Why? Because:

Some believe the war will end soon.
Others are afraid they won’t have a job if they leave.

Patricia Yvonne Caunan, an official from OWWA and DMW, said the government is checking on everyone. “Some OFWs might be getting tired of our calls, but we just want to make sure they’re safe,” she said.

She also said that the Philippine government is ready anytime an OFW wants to go home. “If they decide to return, we will arrange everything right away.”

To help OFWs who return from dangerous places, the government will give: