• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss yesterday said that Israel needs more Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).
In a press briefing, Fluss reported that there are about 28,000 OFWs in Israel, of which 800 had been repatriated, majority of which due to end of contracts.
“We need tens of thousands of workers in Israel. So we brought in workers from India, Sri Lanka and Thailand. But we don’t have OFWs coming into Israel, as of this time,” Fluss said.
The Philippine government restricted the further deployment of OFWs into the state of Israel, which was triggered by the Hamas attacks on October 7 at its border in Gaza, which killed more than 1,200 Israelis and foreigners, including Negrense OFW Loretta Alacre.
“We hope that the Philippine government realizes it is now safe, except at its border in Gaza,” Fluss said.
The Israeli diplomat, accompanied by his wife and son, visited and met with family and siblings of Alacre, in Sitio Camay-an, Barangay Cadiz Viejo, Cadiz City, Negros Occidental, on June 1.
“I want to make sure that they got all the assistance from the Israeli government,” Fluss said, as he also assured them of continued assistance.
While we are in a war with Hamas and other terror groups,Fluss said it is important for him to recognize OFWs in Israel, who were victims of the armed conflict.
OFW Jimmy Pacheco, who was among the two Filipino captives freed by Hamas, is now back in Israel, the Israeli diplomat revealed.
“I think that is a strong message of trust, or sense of belongingness,” Fluss said, stressing that OFWs are considered part of the family of Israel.
Israel is a good employer, he stressed, adding that OFWs are treated just like its citizens, with all the laws applied in their country also enjoyed by OFWs, such as pension and medical insurance, aside from their salaries and other benefits, among others.
We don’t discriminate, Fluss said, who confirmed that they also employed a Bacoleña.
Fluss hopes that the Philippine government opens the doors for more OFWS to work in Israel.
With the war restricted at the Gaza border, he maintained “everything is fine” in Israel, stressing that restaurants, schools, hotels and cinemas are open for business as usual.
Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa and other tourist destination areas are open for visitors.
Fluss and his family have been in Negros Occidental since Friday last week, and have met with Cadiz City Mayor Salvador Escalante Jr., Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, Vice Gov. Jeffrey Ferrer, Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, and also visited the Victorias Milling Company, among other sites in the province.*
