At least 38 Filipinos with Palestinian family members want to be repatriated
At least 38 Filipinos with their Palestinian family members want to be repatriated amid the ongoing conflict in Israel.
Foreign Affairs spokesperson Teresita Daza said as of 7 pm of October 9, Jordan time "Amman PE (Philippine Embassy) had a total of nine families consisting of 38 Filipino nationals and 11 Palestinian spouses."
"Among the 38 Filipino nationals are 17 minors whose ages range from 2-15 years old," she added.
However, Migrant Workers Officer-in-charge Undersecretary Hans Leo Cacdac said the repatriation of Filipinos with Palestinian family members will depend on the judgement of the Department of Foreign Affairs but he noted that "usually family members are separated from each other."
"We need to defer to the judgement of the DFA and this now... I will defer to that DFA in that matter, But they are their families there, Filipinos married to Palestinian," he said.
Cacdac said seven Filipinos were remain unaccounted for as of the Tuesday.
"All seven unaccounted for are identified. Yes," he said.
Cacdac assures that the Philippine "evacuation and repatriation efforts" are always ready.
"We are always ready in terms of budget and then personnel to be mobilized. And of course the DFA side because in Gaza mostly are not OFW's, there are Palestinian nationals and their families. So when we coordinate with the DFA, they are ready," he said.
"In the right time and date, in coordination with the Israeli authorities, we will conduct evacuation, repatriation for those who wants to go home. And when the point of mandatory repatriation is needed we will implement it," he added. Robina Asido/DMS
