An overseas Filipino worker (OFW) at Kiryat Tiv’on, Israel, detailed his experience in the country as tensions between Israel and Iran escalate.
In an exclusive interview with DZRH’s Damdaming Bayan on Wednesday, June 18, Glenn Trinidad Repollo, a caregiver in Israel, recalled that several Filipinos had already repatriated to the Philippines since October 2024. The OFWs who flew back home at the time feared the rising tensions between the two countries.
However, Repollo said he stayed in the country, along with other OFWs, to continue their work. For now, the Philippine Embassy in Israel has yet to announce whether they will be sent back home.
“Kung ako naman po ang tatanungin kung talagang sasabihin ng embahada po namin at dito mismo sa Israel na need na namin mag evacuate ng place na ito. Siguro ‘yun na yung time na need na namin umuwi po,” he said.
According to Repollo, ballistic missiles flew by their area around 10 to 20 minutes after they were permitted to go outside their shelter.
“Nagulat ako may mga ballistic pa rin na parang dumaan po dito, sa may shelter nung anak nung alaga ko,” he said.
Although he witnessed and heard the missile fly by, Repollo assured that it did not land where he was. He also mentioned that he’s provided all basic necessities, including the bomb shelter.
“Nakakatakot lalo kung yung mga walang shelter sa bahay katulad sa Tel Aviv…tatlong kababayan natin ang medyo critical yung condition. Pero okay naman po sila. Kaso nga lang wala silang shelter eh,” he recalled, adding that the three Filipinos were greatly impacted because of the lack of bomb shelter.
Taking from his experience at Haifa, Repollo recounted that old buildings and some apartments in the area would surprise him due to the sudden sounding of the alarm. At that point, he did not have a bomb shelter or a safe place to evacuate.
“Yung pikit mata ka na lang, [at] hihintayin mo kung saan dadapo yung [missiles na inilunsad]. Kasi paghinto po ng alarm, hihintayin mo mga ilang seconds [bago ka lumabas kasi] talagang mararaninig mo yung pagsabog [ng missile] sa taas,” he recalled.
“Yung pag pumutok [yung missile] talagang danas ko rin at iba rin yung takot ko,” he added.
Evacuation plans
Although the number of Filipinos seeking government assistance in Israel has risen to 150, Repollo is torn about whether he will return to the Philippines.
“Siguro kung talagang sasabihin ng Embassy po namin at sila mismo dito na parang [sasabihing] ‘you need to go back to [the] Philippines’ or ganong scenario. Siguro doon lang po kami mag dedecide na aalis po,” he said.
“As long naman na kasama mo yung employer mo [at] kaya kang dalhin sa place na kaya kang itago, stay pa rin po siguro kami sir. Nakakatakot lang po,” he added.
As airports remain closed, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) said Filipinos would be repatriated by land. OFWs will have to travel by bus to Jordan if the agencies’ plans are executed.
Repollo had asked his employer about similar plans, but said that incidents like such are now “normal” for some employers.
“So far naman po wala pa naman po akong nalalaman na nag evacuate o umuwi na ng Pinas dahil ayaw na ng amo niya o kumbaga natatakot na sila. Wala pa naman po ganon. As long as kaya kaming itago o dalhin if ever na hindi namin alam kung anong sitwasyon ngayon nung katulad ng nangyayari ngayon,” he explained.
Repollo is currently staying in a bulletproof room provided by his employer. Some shelters resemble an actual underground bunker; however, Repollo assured that bulletproof rooms are just as safe.
“Hayaan mo na matakot ka sa giyera kaysa matakot ka pag-uwi ng Pinas, [kasi] mas malaking hamon pag umuwi ka ng Pinas eh,” Repollo explained.
As the situation between the two countries continues to escalate, Repollo said he is monitoring updates from the Embassy, adding that if they need to evacuate within 24 hours, he will follow the agencies’ orders.
‘No one wants war’
On Tuesday, June 17, Political analyst and Executive Director for the Center for Political & Democratic Reform Inc., Prof. Clarita Carlos, explained during an interview for Balansyado, that the conflict between Iran and Israel spans decades, starting with the land dispute on land partition between the Jews, Palestinians, and Arabs.
Moreover, she said that the G7 nations' decision to condemn Iran is a “huge error in judgment” because other countries are condemning Israel’s unilateral attack on Iran.
“Under Article 51, every state has the right to defend itself. Hindi ko pinapaburan ang Iran, ang sinasabi ko lang, ang sinasabi ng United Nations. Siguro pag masdan natin mabuti kung ano ang ibig sabihin nito, kung ang ibig sabihin ay magsa-side sila sa isang bansa na nag violate ng all kinds of international law, ‘yan ba ang gusto nilang sabihin sa atin?” Carlos questioned.
During his interview, Repollo had mentioned that Israel is launching direct attacks on Iran, in contrast to previous months, when weapons were sent to Hezbollah.
“Ngayon lang nag direct nung mga pinapadalhan ng Iran katulad sa Hezbollah..sila yung nag po-provide ng gamit nila. Ngayon, direct na from Iran yung atake nila. Iba yung lakas niya ngayon, kakaiba yung mga ginagamit nila [na missile],” he said.
Despite this, during the Balansyado exclusive, Carlos said leaders can return to the negotiating table because “no one wants war.”
“[They can] go back to the negotiating table. I think Iran does not want to have a nuclear weapon; it wants to have a nuclear program. Magkaiba yung nuclear weapon sa program diba?” she explained.
