The Daily Tribune
DA officials home safe after Israel study mission
Two groups of Filipino delegates, including four Department of Agriculture (DA) officials, have safely returned to the Philippines after being stranded in Israel due to the conflict with Iran.
The DA officials were on a study mission to learn about Israel's dairy industry when escalating tensions disrupted their flights and closed the airspace.
The delegation, led by Assistant Secretary Benjamin Albarece, included Philippine Carabao Center Executive Director Liza Battad and National Dairy Authority officials Rowena Bautista and Angelica Escanilla.
During their extended stay, the group experienced missile and bomb alerts while being housed at Hotel Kibbutz Shefayim in central Israel.
The Philippine Embassy in Israel, with assistance from Israel's Agency for International Development Cooperation (MASHAV), facilitated their safe return.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. expressed his gratitude for the successful repatriation of the DA officials.
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Twenty-one Philippine government officials, including mayors and four from the Department of Agriculture, were stranded in Israel due to the conflict.
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Twenty-one Filipino government officials, comprising local government officials and Department of Agriculture dairy industry specialists, have returned to Manila after being stranded in Israel due to escalating tensions.
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The Philippine government has raised crisis alert level 3 in Israel and Iran, urging Filipinos in both countries to avail of voluntary repatriation due to ongoing armed hostilities.
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The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is arranging the repatriation of 26 Filipinos from Israel via a land route through Jordan due to ongoing conflict.
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Three mayors from Eastern Visayas are among the Filipinos stranded in Israel due to escalating conflict.
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