MORE OFWs RETURN HOME FROM HOSTILITIES IN ISRAEL

THE Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has confirmed the return to the country of at least two more batches of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from Israel this week.

Officer-in-Charge Hans Leo J. Cacdac said a fifth batch of OFWs arrived Monday from Israel via Etihad Airways flight EY 424 at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport’s Terminal 3 (NAIA-3).

The batch of 22 OFWs and one infant was the latest group that arrived in the Philippines in the last three weeks from Israel.

Nineteen of them are caregivers while three are hotel workers.

Also, the remains of OFW Mary Grace Prodigo-Cabrera was brought back by her sister Mary June Prodigo who was part of the 22 returnees.

Mary Grace was one of the four Filipino caregivers who died on the first day of the attacks launched by militant Palestinian group Hamas on October 7.

A sixth batch composed of 42 OFWs returning to the Philippines from the Israel-Hamas conflict is slated to arrive Tuesday, November 7, 2023.

The return to the country of these two batches this week will bring to a total of 184 the number of OFWs who have come back to the Philippines from Israel.

The DMW expects more returning OFWs as hostilities between Israel’s Defense Forces (IDF) and Hamas show no signs of toning down in the coming weeks.