Latest news with #OverseasWorkersWelfareAdministration
GMA Network
a day ago
- General
- GMA Network
OWWA visits Pinoys in Israel hospital
Personnel from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) visited some Filipinos in a hospital in Tel Aviv, Israel, the Philippine Embassy said on Monday. 'Binisita ng OWWA Team ng Embahada ang ilan nating mga kababayan nating ginagamot sa ospital o kasalukuyang nagpapagaling sa pangangalaga ng ating mga [Filipino Community] leaders,' the embassy said. (The Embassy's OWWA team visited several Filipinos who are being treated in the hospital or are currently recovering under the care of our Filipino Community leaders.] Aside from this, the agency also gave the concerned Filipinos relief packages and legal assistance to claim benefits. 'Kinumusta ni OWWA Welfare Officer Karen Padduyao ang kanilang kalagayan at dinalhan sila relief packages. Tinutulungan din sila ng abogado ng OWWA upang makuha ang kanilang karampatang mga benepisyo,' the embassy said. (OWWA Welfare Officer Karen Padduyao checked on their situation and brought them relief packages. OWWA lawyers are also assisting them to obtain their benefits.) OWWA made the visit following the exchange of attacks between Israel and Iran. According to the Philippine Embassy in Israel as of Sunday, one Filipino is still in critical condition after sustaining severe and life-threatening injuries. She underwent two surgeries and is being treated at the ICU of Shamir Medical Center, one of Israel's most advanced hospitals. Meanwhile, seven other Filipinos have been discharged after receiving treatment for minor to moderate injuries. A total of 149 Pinoys lost their homes due to missile impact, 131 have been transferred to temporary housing accommodations and Department of Migrant Workers' shelters, while 18 are being processed for resettlement. For repatriation, 26 overseas Filipino workers have undergone voluntary repatriation while another 100 Filipino pilgrims and students have been repatriated. The next batch for repatriation includes 75 Filipinos. A total 567 Filipinos have received various forms of assistance, such as emergency financial assistance, provision of temporary shelter, and relief packages containing food, clothes and hygiene products. Also, 201 more have received psychosocial support and counseling. Alert Level 3 was raised in Israel on June 20, which means Filipinos are encouraged to undergo voluntary repatriation. —Joviland Rita/KG, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
2 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
2 OFWs in Iran from Central Visayas seek repatriation
Two overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Iran from Central Visayas sought assistance from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) to be repatriated because of the impact of the Israel-Iran tension. The OFWs are from Cebu and Siquijor. Siquijor is still under the jurisdiction of OWWA 7 since the agency has no regional office yet in the newly created Negros Island Region (NIR). It was learned from Christina Marie Vistal, officer from OWWA, that the families of the two OFWs filed the repatriation request. While OWWA is glad of the reported ceasefire, it informs the public that Alert Level 3 has not been lifted yet, which means that no OFW will be allowed to leave the Philippines to work in countries affected by the conflict. It was learned that on June 24, 2025, at least 35 OFWs from Israel were repatriated, but none of them are from Central Visayas. The repatriated OFWs already received financial assistance from OWWA and from the Department of Migrant Workers. —GMA Regional TV
GMA Network
6 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
Israel back to normal but will help OFW repatriation, says ambassador
Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss said Wednesday the situation in Israel is back to normal but its government will continue to assist Filipinos who wish to be repatriated. In an interview with GMA News Online on Wednesday, the ambassador confirmed the state of emergency in Israel has been lifted following a ceasefire between his country and Iran. 'Life in Israel is back to normal, which means for the [Overseas Filipino Workers] in Israel, it is safe to go out, to go do your shopping, to meet your friends, continuing with daily life as you did before,' Fluss said. 'I think it's also a very good and positive message, of course, to the families here, knowing that the loved ones in Israel are sort of back to normal life and don't have to go every night, like my family or our families in Israel who had to go once, twice, three times a day into the shelters and suffering from those missiles falling in different parts of the country,' he added. Despite the improving condition in the region, Fluss maintained Israel will not stop any OFW who wished to return to the Philippines, and that repatriation efforts are being conducted in coordination with the Philippine Embassy, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), and the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW). On the part of Israel, Fluss shared his country has aided repatriation efforts by coordinating crossing routes. 'It's a free country. Israel is not putting any obstacles in that way. There's no problem. They're entitled to whatever they are supposed to get,' he said. Israel is also offering psychological assistance to OFWs who may have been affected by the conflict, and said his government is doing its best to care for Filipinos in need of medical attention. The diplomat said OFWs who chose to be repatriated may return without a re-entry visa should they wish to return to Israel. 'They can simply come back. So this is again an Israeli government initiative in order to make people feel easier in leaving the country, but knowing that they can come back and they don't need to apply for re-entry visa,' he said. The right to be a state The ambassador denied claims from Palestine that it was Israel framing the war as religious, saying it is 'disinformation and misinformation.' Rather, he shared that Israel was simply fighting for its right to become a state. 'You know, the Palestinians are trying to put blame on Israel, on everything, and any bad word they can say, they will try. That's part of the, unfortunately, sort of disinformation and misinformation, and they're putting Israel in the image of being the bad guy,' he said. 'It's a very, very complicated issue. I never claimed that it's a religious conflict... And there's no desire to create war against other religions, where full democracy, that's not the issue. The issue here goes to a different place. It is recognition of the right of the state of Israel, which is the homeland for the Jews to exist,' he continued. Fluss said that Israel's goal to be recognized as its own state was behind their conflict with Iran and Hamas, which resulted in the deaths of about 1,200 persons during the October 7, 2023 attacks. 'We are seeing what is the kind of attacks and terrorism that they're spreading and who they are targeting, and why are they doing this? Because they don't want to see the Jewish state of Israel, the homeland of the Jews there. They want to annihilate the state of Israel,' Fluss said. 'We're always saying Israel has to be strong, because only when you're strong, you'll survive, because you are being targeted again and again… Thank God, we are strong. We are able not only to survive, but to thrive,' he added. Fluss acknowledged that a part of Palestine's territory was occupied by Israel, but noted Israel provided Palestinians in these areas with rights and autonomy. He also clarified that Gaza was not under occupation. 'Until then, they had no autonomy, they had no self-rule. And the idea was to try to move on with a peace process with the Palestinians. And this was the goal, in order to end us occupying some parts… As long as we don't have a partner to negotiate peace, there is no way forward from the Palestinian and from their point of view of resolving this conflict between us and the Palestinians. And we will continue, unfortunately, to struggle,' he said. Fluss hopes for a future where Israel would be accepted as its own state, and asked Palestinians would find it in themselves in the future to acknowledge this. A rise in anti-semitism Meanwhile, the ambassador rejected accusations that Israel labeled its critics as anti-semitic. While he noted there has been a recent increase in anti-semitic sentiments, he said that it was normal and legitimate to have arguments and political discussions as long as the right of a state to exist was not being denied. 'We are seeing a global raise of anti-Semitic sentiments, which is alarming. Globally, we're seeing an increase to 46% of the responders who expressed anti-Semitic sentiments. I said in the Philippines, and this is why I actually talked about it, we have seen also a rise in anti-Semitic sentiments… Not acts, not statements, but sentiments by the people who responded. And it went up in 10 years from 3% to 42%,' he shared. 'That's something that I think globally has to be raised… We have a history and centuries of persecution against the Jews. However, not every criticism of political issues and arguments are anti-Semitism. There is a global definition of anti-Semitism, and the Philippines has joined the global definition of anti-Semitism,' he added. —RF, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
6 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
23 more Pinoys in Israel seek repatriation — OWWA
At least 23 more Filipinos in Israel have signed up for repatriation amid the ongoing tension in the Middle East, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) said Wednesday. 'Sa bansang Israel, 340 ang natanggap tawag at request for repatriation. Ini-isa-isa natin yung 340 at doon natin nakuha yung 26 na unang batch, 50 na susunod, at itong 23 na susunod pa,' OWWA administrator Patricia Yvonne Caunan told 'Balitanghali.' (We receive 340 calls and requests for repatriation from Israel. From that, we identified the first batch of 26, the next 50, and the additional 23.) According to OWWA, there are about 30,000 Filipinos in Israel. On Tuesday evening, 31 Filipinos arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. They are the first batch of Pinoys who were repatriated since hostilities between Israel and Iran began on June 13. Meanwhile, the flight of 50 Filipinos in Israel, which was supposed to arrive this week, was delayed due to the temporary suspension of Qatari air traffic after Iran attacked a US military base in Doha. 'Yung 50 dapat darating sila either June 26 or 27, pero nagkaroon ng pagsasara ng airspace kaya iadjust sa schedule so in the next coming days may update tayo kung kelan darating yung batch two,' Caunan said. (The 50 Filipinos were supposed to arrive on June 26 or 27, but the airspace was temporarily closed. So, we will adjust the schedule and give an update on their arrival in the coming days.) The Philippine government has raised the crisis alert to level 3 in Israel and Iran, urging Filipinos in the affected areas to take advantage of the voluntary repatriation as armed hostilities between Israel and Iran continue. DFA Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega earlier said eight Filipinos from Iran are expected to return to the Philippines this week.
GMA Network
7 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
31 Pinoys repatriated from Middle East arrive in PH
The 31 Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who were repatriated from the Middle East arrived in the country on Tuesday evening. The Pinoys were welcomed by members of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), among other government agencies at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. The 31 OFWs are composed of 26 Filipinos from Israel, three from Jordan, one from Palestine, and one from Qatar. They are the first batch of repatriated Filipinos since hostilities between Israel and Iran began on June 13. Their flight was delayed due to the temporary suspension of Qatari air traffic after Iran attacked a US military base in Doha. 'We experienced flight delays due to airspace restrictions, but what's really important is that we are here at home, safe and sound,' DMW Secretary Hans Cacdac said in a statement. DMW earlier announced that the repatriated Filipinos will receive financial assistance worth P150,000, temporary shelter, transportation to their respective provinces, and a reintegration program. 'The DOH will provide medical services and assistance to one cancer patient-repatriate, and one pregnant OFW, including mental wellness check-up to ensure their overall well-being,' Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said in the same statement. 'We stand ready to assist those who are willing to be repatriated. We are encouraging OFWs to avail of the voluntary repatriation program,' Cacdac said. DMW also said 50 more Filipinos could be repatriated this week. It added that of the 30,000 Filipinos in Israel, 311 have already requested repatriation. —RF, GMA Integrated News
