SENATOR Christopher “Bong” Go called on the concerned government agencies to account for the Filipino workers caught up by the fighting in Israel.
Go made the appeal to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA).
He raised the need for an inventory of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to determine who may have been affected by the conflict. There is also a need to plan for their immediate repatriation when necessary.
“The safety of our kababayans (fellowmen) is paramount. I urge the DMW, DFA and POEA to act swiftly and ensure that every Filipino worker is accounted for,” said Go in a statement.
“I call upon all relevant agencies to work hand in hand in this endeavor. Let us set aside bureaucracy and focus on immediate action. Lives are at stake here,” he said.
He also appealed to OFWs to coordinate with the Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv.
“I understand that many of you have built lives abroad, but your safety should always come first. Please coordinate with our embassy and avail yourselves of the government’s assistance,” Go said.
The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) said it was monitoring the condition of about 200 OFWs based in Gaza.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has directed the DMW and OWWA to locate and account for all OFWs and their families in Israel.
The government is also closely coordinating with the Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv and the Migrant Workers Office (MWO) in Israel to ensure their safety and welfare.
The DMW has opened a hotline, as well as several mobile numbers, to accept calls and queries from OFWs and the Filipino community who are in need of government assistance.
Go urged OFWs to make use of these channels to protect fellow Filipinos.
Go noted that he was one of the authors and co-sponsors of Republic Act 11641, which created the DMW.
“The DMW Act was designed to protect our OFWs. Now, more than ever, it’s time to put this law into action to protect our kababayans,” Go said.
