Sea routes for OFWs in Lebanon discovered

As the escalating conflict between Israeli forces and Hezbollah militants made leaving Lebanon by land and air more difficult, sea routes have been identified for the evacuation of Filipinos trapped in the war-torn country, Philippine officials said yesterday.

Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Esteban Conejos said Israeli forces bombed the Beirut International Airport as well as major roads and bridges in nearby areas and that the Philippine government has no choice but to evacuate the Filipinos by sea.

He said the bombings in Beirut as well as the possible interference of Syria in the war between Israel and the Hezbollah militants would make the evacuation more difficult.

"The OFWs (overseas Filipino workers ) and their families need not worry that our countrymen are trapped because we have found the alternate routes to bring them home," Conejos said in a press briefing.

The good news, according to Conejos, is that 450 OFWs were already on their way out of Beirut on board nine buses bound for Syria as Philippine officials managed to find an alternate route.

The 450 OFWs’ travel from Beirut was delayed after a major bridge leading to Damascus, Syria, the only land route being taken by the Filipinos, was bombed by Israeli military forces.

Conejos said the 450 OFWs may arrive in Manila on Monday on board a chartered flight, bringing to 3,102 the total number of Filipinos who had been evacuated from Lebanon since the hostilities erupted.

He said the latest group of evacuees left at around 3 p.m., Manila time, on board the nine buses to Damascus, Syria.

"We hope there will be not (many causes of) delay anymore as we take the alternate routes," he said.

Conejos said some 300 more Filipinos had gone to the Philippine relocation site in Beirut and they could be the first batch to take a sea route.

"We are still finalizing the details. We also have to secure first the necessary permits so not to endanger them when they travel by land and by sea," Conejos said.

He said a Greek association of shipping companies decided to help the Philippines by allowing their vessels to be used for free to show their gratitude to the country and to the Filipino seamen under their employ.

"This is such a welcome development," Conejos said.

Local shipping companies said they could also offer the use of their vessels but only ferry Filipino passengers from Beirut to a nearby destination in Syria.

Presidential Management Staff chief Arthur Yap said the shipping companies did not have ocean-going vessels but only for inter-island travel.

Yap said President Arroyo talked with the owners of the shipping companies in the country and told them the government would not mind the cost of having to bring ships to Beirut just to ensure the safety of the Filipinos. He said the Aboitiz group would help evacuate the OFWs from Beirut to Cyprus.

Yap said officials of the Philippine Coast Guard and the Philippine Navy were also present to discuss the options the government could take to bring the OFWs home.

According to Conejos, Filipinos can take one of five sea routes to get out of Lebanon. The first is Beirut to Latakia in Syria, where the biggest port is located, while second is Beirut to Laranca in Cyprus.

The third route is Beirut to Mercin, Turkey and fourth is Beirut to Port Said in Egypt. The fifth option is to just to hire vessels available in the Mediterranean to ferry the Filipinos back to Manila.

Yap and Conejos said all Philippine ambassadors in the countries where the Filipinos might board ships had been alerted and ordered to make plans. The country’s envoy to Greece, Rigoberto Tiglao, will have to take charge of the OFWs who might be relocated via Rhodes island in that country.

The St. Joseph Church in Beirut, aside from the Miraculous Medal Church, is being readied as another relocation site for more Filipinos who may decide to leave because of the worsening situation in Lebanon.

"As of now, Syria is the best way to go back to the Philippines and we hope it does not get involved in the conflict," Conejos said.

The Task Force Lebanon has established four collection centers and will make Tripoli as an alternative evacuation center. These are located in Seidon in southern Lebanon, Zahle in the eastern part and Tripoli in the north. Beirut will remain the center of operations.

Despite the worsening attacks and counter-attacks, Conejos said the Israeli government had not yet advised the Philippines that its 3,000 OFWs in the northern area of Israel would be relocated to safer places like Tel-Aviv.

"Right now, there is no word yet. But the Israeli government treats foreigners like their own citizens and most areas there have bomb shelters and so Filipinos would be safe even if the bombs launched by troops Hezbollah were hitting the northern part of Israel," Conejos said.

Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said the situation had been very fluid and thus the need for the crisis team headed by Vice President Noli de Castro to explore and exhaust all options to get the Filipinos into safe zones by finding and establishing alternative but secure exits from Lebanon.

"At the diplomatic level, we are supporting all moves towards an early truce which is key to the security of our workers but in the meantime, we are working with all international institutions that are involved in safe haven and travel issues on the ground," Bunye said.

"Meanwhile, we are also appealing to all our political leaders to help tone down the political noise and the muckraking to help promote the atmosphere of national solidarity behind our crisis team and beleaguered workers," he said.

Meanwhile, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is sending more personnel to Lebanon and nearby countries to facilitate the evacuation of OFWs.

Labor Secretary Arturo Brion said five labor officers and staff, including Philippine Overseas Employment Administration deputy administrator Ramon Tionloc, will be dispatched to Lebanon to augment the manpower at the Philippine Overseas Labor Administration (POLO) office in Beirut.

Brion said one social worker and one administrative staff will be dispatched to each of the POLO offices in Syria and Israel. At present, there are three labor officers in Syria and two in Israel.

The latest batch of DOLE personnel to be sent to Lebanon and its neighboring countries will all be women since majority of OFWs there are female. Most OFWs in Lebanon are employed as domestic helpers.

Mrs. Arroyo has ordered authorities to go from house to house in Lebanon to make sure all Filipinos are evacuated.

According to earlier reports, many Filipinos there want to return home but were prevented by their employers. Some were forced to jump from high-rise residential units to escape.

Brion said the number of OFWs signing up for evacuation has gone down but DOLE is deploying more personnel to Lebanon in case the situation there takes a turn for the worse. — With Sheila Crisostomo