A special chartered flight brought 290 Filipinos home from Lebanon on Friday due to the ongoing unrest in the Middle East, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) announced.
The flight left Lebanon at 2 p.m. Beirut time, carrying 233 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) with their 13 family members, plus 21 other Filipinos and 23 dependents. After a stopover in Doha, Qatar, for refueling, Philippine Ambassador Lilibeth Pono warmly welcomed the repatriates on board.
The DMW, along with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Philippine Embassy in Turkey, organized this flight following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s order to bring home Filipinos “by any means necessary.”
DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac confirmed that embassy teams in Lebanon worked closely with the host government to ensure Filipinos had the documents needed for travel. DFA Secretary Enrique Manalo thanked the embassies in Beirut and Doha for their help in making this mission possible.
This flight brings the total number of repatriated Filipinos from Lebanon since October to 903, including 47 family members. The DMW is also helping 69 more Filipinos who are still in shelters in Beirut, providing them with food and other essentials.
Repatriated OFWs will receive financial aid from various government agencies, totaling up to P170,000 per person. The Department of Health will also offer free medical consultations and psychological support for those in need.
As tensions rise in the region, Alert Level 3 remains active in Lebanon, allowing Filipinos to choose voluntary repatriation. The DMW encourages all OFWs in Lebanon to take advantage of this support program.
