Philippines Roundup: Local elections, OFWs repatriation from Israel, OFWs in Lebanon, and PH chess team
Philippine local elections
The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Saturday elevated their readiness to full alert in preparation for the local elections, also known as Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE). PNP said all of the 187,600+ police personnel will be dispatched to various locations throughout the country. The forthcoming local elections or BSKE are scheduled for Monday, October 30th.
Repatriation of OFWs from Israel
The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) announced on Saturday that the Philippines is arranging the return of 62 Filipino nationals from Israel, bringing the total number of Filipinos seeking refuge from the Middle East conflict to 123. According to Hans Cacdac, the DMW officer-in-charge, the fourth repatriation flight departing from Tel Aviv and arriving in Manila next week will carry a group of 32 hotel workers, 28 caregivers, and two infants. These individuals are part of the repatriation effort to ensure their safety.
Repatriation of OFWs from Lebanon
Amid escalating tensions between Israel and the Hezbollah militant group, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has reported that 124 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) currently in Lebanon are expressing their desire to come back to the Philippines. The conflict, characterized by exchanges of fire between Israeli forces and Hezbollah, has primarily impacted the southern region of Lebanon. As a result, some Filipinos have already been evacuated from that area, according to Hans Leo Cacdac, the officer-in-charge of the Department of Migrant Workers.
PH chess team secures additional five gold medals at Asian Para Games
The Philippine para chess players experienced remarkable success on Saturday, securing five out of six possible victories in the rapid event. This outstanding performance concluded the country's campaign on a high note, resulting in their all-time best ranking of ninth in the overall medal standings on the final day of the 4th Hangzhou Asian Para Games.
