Lebanon Evacuation

THE Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) said on Tuesday that it has so far spent 155 million pesos of the 500-million peso earmarked for the ongoing repatriation of Filipino workers from Lebanon, which began at the height of fighting between Israeli forces and Hezbollah fighters two months ago.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) also handed out more than 2 million pesos in financial assistance from private benefactors to the families of two OFWs who died and 29 others injured as they fled Lebanon.

OWWA administrator Marianito Roque said that, to date, 6,210 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) have returned and another 50 are in Beirut awaiting repatriation.

Most of the repatriates were sponsored by the International Organization for Migration.

Labor undersecretary for employment and manpower development Danilo Cruz said the employers of the 50 OFWs in Beirut were contesting their applications for exit permits because of their existing work contracts.

“We have assigned an additional labor attaché to fix this problem,” Cruz said. “Jimmy Jimenez from Libya is now there.”

Cruz also said 18 OFWs repatriated because of the Lebanon crisis are preparing to leave again for work abroad.

He said the documents for the 18 workers are being processed for work in the Middle East, mostly in Qatar.

He said the work permits are not just for domestic helpers; a number are for jobs as salesladies.

“Those leaving for Qatar will leave this month,” he said.

The parents of Mary Jane Pangilinan, and the mother and four-year-old son of Michelle Tomagan received checks for more than 20,000 pesos each.

Pangilinan, 23, of Tondo, Manila, died on July 26 after she accidentally fell from the fourth floor balcony of the flat she was cleaning. She left behind three children, aged 8, 5, and 2.

Tomagan, of Quezon City, fell down while trying to escape her employer. She left behind Paul Iverson, 4, and Christine Jane, 2. Paul said his mother is now “in heaven.”

The 29 injured OFWs received checks for 5,000 pesos each.

The assistance came from the Manila Bulletin and Don Emilio Yap, who gave a million pesos each, and the Chinese-Filipino Business Club, which donated 150,000 pesos.

Of the 29 who were injured, eight attended the ceremonies: Anna Cristina Sabiles, Gertrudes Garcia, Miramar Flores, Priscilla Ronato, Liza Plimaco, Lucaida Tahir, Anabelle Victorino, and Mary Grace Villegas.

Most of them had injuries in the legs or feet, sustained while trying to escape their employers.

Daisy Dayson, who is suffering from mental illness, was represented by her father, Bernardo.

Cruz said the two who were killed were registered with the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration. This entitled their families to 200,000 pesos in insurance benefits and 20,000 pesos in other benefits.

Cruz said the orphans of the deceased could receive scholarship benefits later.

Tomagan’s mother Evelyn has also asked the help of the labor department in getting her daughter’s backpay worth seven months and insurance benefits from Lebanon.