Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 3) — The Israeli government has promised that Filipinos in Gaza will be allowed to go home by Saturday at the latest, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Friday.
\”May pangako sila sa atin na ma-ipapalabas na ang mga Pilipino [They promised that the Filipinos will be allowed to leave by today or tomorrow]. That is what they promised us – Saturday at the latest,\” the president said in a press briefing.
Marcos added that the Philippine Embassy in Cairo, Egypt is ready to transport Filipinos trapped in Gaza through the Rafah border crossing.
\”Nandon lang sila, matagal lang silang nagaantay doon sa tawiran sa Rafah crossing and they’re ready for when the time comes na tumawid na ang mga Pinoy,\” he said.
[Translation: They’re just there, they’ve been waiting for a long time at the Rafah crossing and they’re ready for when the time comes for the Filipinos to cross.]
However, Philippine Ambassador to Jordan Wilfredo Santos said Filipinos have yet to be part of the list of those permitted to leave Gaza to Egypt.
“We are not yet on the list of foreigners and dual nationals who are given permission to exit Gaza to Egypt,” Santos said. “Hopefully, our Filipino nationals will be allowed to leave Gaza soon.”
Santos said the list is only for Friday, the third day since Egypt started accepting foreigners and dual nationals leaving the Palestinian enclave.
“There are 7,000 of such nationals and Egypt processes only between 500 to 600 a day so it may take 2 weeks to complete the process,” he added.
The country’s embassy in Amman has jurisdiction over Filipinos in Gaza.
Undecided Filipinos
A total of 115 Filipinos are just awaiting the green light to cross the border, according to Department of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Teresita Daza.
However, Marcos said some Filipinos—especially women married to Palestinians— are hesitant to leave their families behind.
READ: 2 Filipino doctors exit Gaza through Rafah crossing – DFA
Of the 136 Filipinos accounted for in Gaza, Daza said 19 remain undecided, including a Filipino nun.
