67 Filipinos repatriated from Lebanon amid conflict - embassy

Metro Manila, Philippines— The government has repatriated 67 Filipinos from Lebanon early this month as tensions escalate in the Middle East, the Philippine embassy in Beirut said.

The repatriated were four Filipino spouses of Lebanese nationals, six children, and 57 workers.

Alert Level 3, or voluntary repatriation, was raised in Lebanon in October 2023. The embassy has received 1,173 applications to return home. Of this number, 439 people are back in the country.

“Some applicants have withdrawn their requests due to concerns about the lack of employment opportunities in the Philippines and the challenges of reintegrating their children into Filipino society,” the embassy said in a statement.

Among the repatriated are a Filipino mother and her three children. They lived in southern Lebanon which is the conflict area between Hezbollah and the Israel Defense Forces.

The embassy said it called on Filipinos in Lebanon to remain vigilant.

“Given the deteriorating security conditions, the embassy strongly urges all Filipino nationals to consider the voluntary repatriation program,” it added.

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati slammed the recent Israeli attack in southern Lebanon that killed three Lebanese paramedics and wounded two others.

Hezbollah responded by launching missiles that killed people in an Israeli military headquarters.