Iloilo: Close to 1,887 Ilonggos working in Middle East countries have been reported as 'generally safe' according to profiling conducted by the city and provincial governments of Iloilo through their respective Public Employment and Services Offices (PESOs).

According to Philippines News Agency, Iloilo provincial PESO manager Cynthia Dario stated that as of 1 p.m. on Tuesday, the profiling included overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from 41 out of the 43 local government units in the province, facilitated through the Task Force Bulig Ilonggo.

The profiling process was carried out through communication with relatives of the OFWs in the province, while others directly reached out via PESO's social media platforms. "The numbers are increasing. So far, none have requested repatriation unless, of course, there is going to be mandatory repatriation," Dario explained.

Meanwhile, Iloilo City PESO manager Gab Umadhay reported that as of 2 p.m. on Tuesday, 508 OFWs who are city residents have been accounted for. The data revealed that 17 are in Israel, 10 in Oman, 34 in Qatar, 147 in the United Arab Emirates, 60 in Bahrain, 57 in Kuwait, 179 in Saudi Arabia, and four in Jerusalem.

Umadhay also noted that 441 of these individuals are still undergoing verification, while 63 have been confirmed as safe. This information was provided by PESO's partner recruitment agencies. "Four OFWs have formally requested immediate repatriation due to emotional distress brought about by the current security situation. One of the OFWs had already filed a repatriation request prior to the bombing incident and is currently awaiting flight details from the Philippine Embassy," Umadhay added.

Additionally, the Iloilo provincial field office of the Department of Information and Communications Technology is offering support to OFWs' families wishing to communicate with their relatives in the Middle East. Free Wi-Fi and computers are available at the field office located in Passi City.