By Junex Doronio
DESPITE THE RAGING ARMED CONFLICT, more than 16,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) opted to stay in Lebanon as only six of them arrived in the Philippines early Friday morning.
Maharlika NuMedia learned that there are 17,000 Filipinos in Lebanon. Of the number, only about a hundred have requested for repatriation.
Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega earlier disclosed that many OFWs have decided to stay in Lebanon because of work, while some believe that the situation in Beirut is “business as usual.”
“We hope mas maraming sasagot dito at makauwi,” De Vega said.
The Philippine government placed Lebanon under Alert Level 3 on October 21, signifying voluntary repatriation.
The six OFWs arrived via Flight EK336 which departed from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and landed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 past 6 a.m.
The returning OFWs composed the first batch of repatriates from Lebanon amid the ongoing armed clashes there between Israel and Hezbollah militants.
(ai/mnm)