Task force to monitor OFWs in Israel, Gaza sought
IN light of the escalating situation in Israel and Gaza and the reported capture of Filipino nationals by Hamas militants, Kabayan Rep. Ron P. Salo, chairman of the House committee on overseas workers affairs, is taking urgent and decisive action to ensure the safety and well-being of our fellow countrymen.
“With the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the risks it poses to our Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and Filipino nationals in the region, I have filed House Resolution No. 1369 urging the Executive Department to immediately create a crisis management and response task force for the assistance of our countrymen in Israel and Gaza,” Salo said.
“This task force, jointly led by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), will be mandated to closely monitor the evolving situation, ensure the safety of our Kabayans, and be fully prepared for any possible contingencies,” Salo continued.
There are over 30,000 Filipinos in Israel as of December 2021, DFA spokesman Ma. Teresita Daza said, citing records of Israel’s Population and Immigration Authority.
“The Crisis Management and Response Task Force will work diligently to closely monitor the ongoing conflict and establish effective systems to track the whereabouts and conditions of Filipino nationals in the affected areas, providing around-the-clock updates and assistance as may be necessary,” Salo explained.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv reported that 20 of the 26 Filipinos who were abducted and kidnapped have been rescued.
To ensure decisive, holistic and coordinated response of the Philippine government, he proposed that members of the task force will include pertinent agencies, including the Department of National Defense (DND), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), National Intelligence and Coordinating Agency (NICA), and our dedicated diplomatic representatives led by the Philippine Ambassador to Israel and the Labor Attaché in Israel.
The panel will also conduct a hearing this Wednesday at 1:30 PM.
He said this hearing will focus on the current situation of our overseas Filipinos in Israel amidst the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict and a comprehensive briefing on the efforts by key government agencies involved in ensuring the safety and well-being of our kabayans.
“The Philippine government is fully committed in ensuring the safety and well-being of our Kabayans abroad. We shall provide assistance, guidance, and support to the key agencies as we navigate this challenging period,” Salo concluded.
