MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. confirmed on Monday the first Filipino fatality in the intensifying Middle East conflict: Mary Ann Velazquez de Vera, a caregiver from Pangasinan.
De Vera was killed in Israel on Sunday after being hit by shrapnel during a ballistic missile attack launched by Iranian forces. Reports indicate she was in the process of assisting her elderly ward into a bomb shelter when the strike occurred.
- Family Impact: Her husband, who is also an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) in Israel, helped identify her.
- Israeli Statement: Oren Marmorstein, spokesperson for Israel’s Foreign Ministry, condemned the attack, stating that Iranian missiles targeted a civilian building where children and the elderly were residing.
President Marcos expressed deep concern over the escalating violence, stating, “I believe this war will continue.” He assured the De Vera family that the government would provide all necessary assistance for the repatriation of her remains and financial support.
- Military on Standby: The Department of National Defense (DND) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) have placed all units on standby for humanitarian and evacuation operations.
- The Scale of the Task: There are more than 2 million Filipinos currently in the Middle East, including 31,000 in Israel and 800 in Iran. The largest concentrations are in the UAE (975,000), Saudi Arabia (813,000), and Qatar (250,000).
Philippine embassies across the Gulf have issued urgent advisories for Filipinos to “shelter in place” and stock up on essential supplies.
- Prepare for Emergency: Embassies in Iraq and Bahrain have told citizens to prepare “go-bags” with passports, medicine, food, and water.
- Aviation Paralysis: At least 23 international flights to and from the Philippines have been canceled due to airspace closures in Qatar, UAE, and surrounding regions. Cebu Pacific has extended rebooking and travel fund options for passengers bound for Dubai and Riyadh through early March.
The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) has called for a 24/7 rapid response system to be activated to provide real-time information to OFWs, including their right to refuse unsafe work in conflict zones.