DMW: Higit 400 Pinoy, naitawid na sa mas ligtas na lugar; 3 Pinoy, nawawala pa rin
DMW: Higit 400 Pinoy, naitawid na sa mas ligtas na lugar; 3 Pinoy, nawawala pa rin
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00:00 And if there is still a problem in Israel and Gaza, we will talk to Atty. Hans Leo Hakdak,
00:05 the officer in charge of the Department of Migrant Workers or DMW.
00:09 Sir, good morning. This is Audrey Guriceta with Dian Carrer of Rise and Shine Philippines.
00:14 Yes, good morning Sir Audrey and Miss Dian, good morning.
00:19 Yes sir, we will just update how are our countrymen who are still in Gaza until now.
00:26 Have they already left the border or not yet?
00:30 Okay, I will start with the Task Force Israel.
00:35 Our 24/7 helpline has already reached 440.
00:41 We were able to help in terms of meeting their relatives who are being relocated or OFWs who wish to be on safer ground.
00:54 Of the 440, 437 were accounted for and we are still looking for 3 more.
01:04 And with the help of the Israeli Defense Forces on the ground, because they conduct ground operations in Israel,
01:12 they are also helping us to find our 3 countrymen.
01:16 And we also have on the ground rounds conducted by Labor and Assainant and our Welfare Officer O1, Admin Arne Ignacio,
01:30 so that we can check on our OFWs on the ground.
01:35 They also go around and provide assistance, especially those in rescue areas or sites.
01:40 And lastly, as you mentioned sir Audrey, the refiguration is about to close and we hope that their flight back to the Philippines will be smooth and safe.
01:56 Okay sir, those officers who are looking for our countrymen and are going around, isn't the situation dangerous for them?
02:06 Yes, it is. The Israeli Defense Forces are also quick and fast in their approach to the so-called no-enter or no-go zones.
02:17 And those areas where we can have talks and where our officers are on the ground.
02:27 These are the rescue sites and rescue areas where our countrymen are being brought by the Israeli Defense Forces.
02:36 They are being brought to the no-enter zones and they are able to find their way there.
02:41 So our officers are going there relatively safe.
02:46 Okay sir, you mentioned earlier that our countrymen have crossed the border and are safe.
02:53 Is this process, do you have any information, the transportation to the Philippines, has it become challenging?
03:04 Well, the Israeli Defense Forces are moving on the ground.
03:10 The attack of Hamas on Israeli territory, the ground activity is already increasing.
03:22 However, there is still rocket fire and there is still a danger.
03:27 The Israeli government still wants our countrymen to stay indoors.
03:33 If there is a siren, they should obey the shelter and stay safe.
03:38 So there is still danger.
03:41 Okay, Atty., what are the next steps of the DMW for our countrymen?
03:48 I also need to mention the three of us in Wicca, Babayan.
03:55 We have already talked, our President and the three families have talked.
04:03 We, Admin Arne Ignacio and I, have already talked to the three families and we will help them
04:10 in terms of the repatriation of their loved ones and help the families of our loved ones.
04:19 And secondly, the repatriation effort I mentioned earlier, this is voluntary.
04:26 We don't have a mandatory repatriation in Israel.
04:30 So those who want to go home, even in an ordinary situation,
04:35 we still want to go home, the DMW, to our loved ones.
04:40 So we will help them go home.
04:42 Atty. Cactak, good morning. This is Diane Quirerto.
04:45 Talking about the mandatory repatriation of our countrymen in Israel,
04:50 how many Filipinos there have already declared that they want to go home here in the Philippines?
04:56 The alert level 4 is mandatory in Gaza.
05:01 In Israel, the alert level 2.
05:05 In Gaza, the overwhelming majority are non-OFWs.
05:13 So DFA, 137, the number of Filipino in Gaza, and DFA is in charge.
05:21 Our embassy in Amman is in charge. So we support DFA and our embassy in Amman.
05:31 Okay, just to clear out, I will correct what I said earlier,
05:34 the mandatory repatriation in Gaza, but in Israel, it's voluntary.
05:38 In Israel, how many want to go home, sir?
05:42 In Israel, actually to be more precise, Diane, the alert level 2.
05:49 So it's not yet the strictly voluntary repatriation.
05:54 But nevertheless, there are people who said that they want to go home.
05:59 So we will help those who want to go home.
06:03 And there are people who are already asking for their original number to go home.
06:11 We are helping them now.
06:13 We are helping 18 people who are about to go home.
06:16 So I understand that tomorrow, we will have Filipinos arriving here in the country.
06:21 They are from Israel. Where will they go when they arrive here in the Philippines, sir?
06:26 What are the expected help for them?
06:30 Well, we will help them when they arrive at the airport.
06:34 There is financial help, a whole of government approach,
06:37 including our government agency is ready to help, DMW, DSW, DDOH, TESDA,
06:46 of course the Office of the President is also there.
06:50 We are ready to help.
06:51 And they, Administrator Arnal Ignacio,
06:55 they have accommodation when it comes to those who need to stay in Manila
07:01 until they are transported home to their respective provinces.
07:06 Maybe this is the last question, Atty. Kakdak,
07:08 what is your message to our fellow Filipinos both in Israel and Gaza
07:14 who are affected by the riots there, sir?
07:18 Yes, our message is to be patient.
07:21 Don't worry.
07:23 Your government is working for your protection and well-being.
07:28 We just want to be safe, to be safe in the situation,
07:37 and don't take sudden actions or you will be more prone to be affected by the riots.
07:46 So, trust us, our hotline is 1348 when we are outside the Philippines, +63 to 1348.
07:54 We have WhatsApp and Viber Lines on our DMW website and Facebook pages.
08:01 Okay. Thank you very much for your time, Atty. Hans Leo Kakdak, the OIC of DMW.
08:06 Thank you, sir.
08:07 LePuzer.