Add’l bomb shelters set up for Filpinos in critical areas in Israel, Gaza as PHL officials monitor situation
(Eagle News) — No Filipino worker as well as residents in Israel and the Gaza strip on the Palestine side have been injured so far in the ongoing strikes in the region, as labor officials assure assistance to the country’s overseas workers in the area.
According to Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration (OWWA) administrator Hans Leo Cacdac, they are closely monitoring the situation in Israel and the Gaza strip to ensure the safety of Filipinos there.
Both the OWWA and Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) people, as well as embassy officials, are on the ground, working to provide the needs of Filipinos, including OFWs, in the troubled region where exchange of rocket fire and violence have entered its second week.
“Sa ngayon po tayo ay nagmamanman ng sitwasyon. Right now we are monitoring the situation. Sa awa ng Dios walang Pilipinong nasaktan o nasawi,” Cacdac said in an interview with the Eagle News Service program, “Balitalakayan” on NET 25 on Monday, May 17.
Cacdac said that there were some Filipinos who asked for help, in terms of additional shelters which the Philippine officials on the ground provided, he said.
“Merong ilan na humingi ng saklolo interms of shelter, kaya tinulungan ang mga Pilipino na nangangailangan ng tulong by way of shelters,” he said.
-Call hotlines if you need help, says Cacdac-
Cacdac said that hotlines have also been set up by the Philippine embassy there and by POLO in their official sites and Facebook pages which Filipinos in Israel and in Palestine could contact in case they need help.
“Kaya’t dumulog lang po doon, lalo na sa mga lugar na mas delikado kaysa sa iba – yung Ashkelon, Ashdod and siyempre yung Gaza Strip,” he said. “Dumulog lang po sa ating POLO, sa ating embahada, at meron po tayong mga shelter facilities.”
-‘Stay at home”-
Cacdac said that they are advising Filipinos in these areas to “stay at home.”
In Israel particularly, buildings and other establishments have bomb shelters in place. Housing areas also have bomb shelters. In areas, where there are none, Cacdac said Filipinos can seek the help of the labor and embassy officials so they can be guided to places where there are shelters.
“Sa Israel, mataas ang antas ng kahandaan nila. May mga bomb shelters sila doon. May mga bahay na relatively safe. May ilang sructures na walang bomb shelter, doon kami tutulong,” he said.
-Around a hundred Filipinos in Gaza-
The OWWA chief also explained that there are Filipino residents in the Palestine side, including those who have married Palestine nationals and have reared their families there, who are also being contacted to ensure that they are safe.
Cacdac said that there are around a hundred Filipinos in Gaza strip — both OFWs and non-OFWs or residents in the area.
“Minamanmanan din natin ang sitwasyon nila,” he said.
Palestine local authorities say a total of 212 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, including at least 61 children, and more than 1,400 wounded since Israel launched its air campaign against Hamas in response to rocket fire.
Israel says 10 people, including one child, have been killed and more than 300 wounded by the rocket fire, which has been the most intense to ever rain down on the Jewish state.
(With an Agence France Presse report)