Philippines places Lebanon under Alert Level 3, asks Filipinos to return home
THE PHILIPPINES has placed Lebanon under Alert Level 3 amid the worsening war between Israel and Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah, calling on Filipinos to come home.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique A. Manalo approved the order for voluntary repatriation on Saturday, Undersecretary Jose Eduardo A. de Vega said in a WhatsApp message on Sunday.
Israel launched extensive air strikes in Gaza after Hamas militants backed by a barrage of rockets stormed from the blockaded Gaza Strip into nearby Israeli towns, killing 1,400 people, mostly civilians, in a surprise attack on Oct. 7.
Israel launched a counterattack on the Palestinian enclave, sending waves of air strikes, enforcing a blockade and deploying tens of thousands of its troops for a ground assault.
Hezbollah, which is allied with Hamas, and Israeli military forces have been exchanging fire at the Lebanese-Israeli border in the past few weeks, in the worst escalation of violence in the area since a 2006 war between Israel and the Islamist group.
There are about 17,500 Filipinos in Lebanon, most of whom are domestic workers, Mr. De Vega told ABS-CBN Teleradyo.
“Filipinos are being informed that there is a program for repatriation and are advised to go home,” he said. “We are trying to avoid repatriation during gunfire and conflicts.”
He noted that Israel was still under Alert Level 2, while Gaza was under Alert Level or forced repatriation.
On Oct. 20, Hezbollah launched anti-tank missiles across the border, prompting the Israeli Defense Forces to launch air strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon, killing 19 Hezbollah fighters.
The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry has said about 4,137 Palestinians have died and more than 13,000 wounded during the war.
“We are already telling Filipinos in Lebanon that it would be better for them to move away from the conflict,” Mr. De Vega said. — John Victor D. Ordoñez
