OWWA confirms 7 Ilonggo OFWs join first batch of evacuees from Lebanon
The regional office of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration based in this city confirmed that there are seven overseas workers from Western Visayas in Lebanon who have joined the first batch of the 188 Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) evacuees expected to arrive Manila today (July 22).
OWWA 6 Regional Director Robert Bassig said that based on their advisory from their head office in Manila five of these overseas workers are from the province of Iloilo and the two others are from Negros Occidental.
Those identified from Iloilo are Daisy Baling of Pavia, Michelle Gomez of Lemery, Melona Rebuste of Carles, Sheila Mae Siason of Tigbauan, Lolita Allas of San Miguel while those from Negros Occidental are Marie Grace de la Pena of Sagay City and Marichu de la Pena of Bago City.
Bassig said the first batch of evacuees has left Beirut via the Damascus land route.
The Philippine government has identified five routes out of Lebanon in case mass repatriation becomes unavoidable. By sea, the OFWs may leave from Beirut to Cyprus and Beirut to Rose Island in Greece; by land, to Beirut to the northern border of Syria and Beirut to Merlin in Turkey.
In a statement, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo made a special appeal to all combatant forces to spare Filipino nationals who have no wish but to be taken out of harm's way.
Bassig said that as part of their efforts to assist families of OFWs in Lebanon their office now maintains a 24 - hour monitoring desk.
"We have a 24 - hour team tasked to attend to the needs of our clientele especially families asking for information about their overseas worker kin in Lebanon", he added.
Also, he said they are now in the process of finalizing their negotiation with a telephone company for their special outreach program where families here can communicate with their OFW kin for free in Lebanon. Meantime, families can call for assistance at their no. 337-4484 or their OWWA Operations Center (OPCenter) in Manila at hotline nos. 833-8992 or 551-1560 or text at 0917 -8986992.
Earlier this week, Labor and Employment Secretary Arturo Brion has mobilized DOLE offices in the region to put up committees in close coordination with the regional offices of the Philippine Overseas Employment and Administration (POEA) and Overseas Workers Welfare and Administration to facilitate communication with the families of the OFWs caught in the middle of the on - going Israeli - Lebanese conflict.
(PIA)