By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga
The Negros Occidental’s Cadiz City government is looking into giving livelihood assistance to the family of slain overseas Filipino worker (OFW) Loreta Alacre.
Cadiz Mayor Salvador Escalante, Jr. said the local government unit (LGU) is mulling giving assistance to Loreta’s sister, Nelia Alacre, as she decided she would no longer work as an OFW in Kuwait.
The LGU will also give scholarship grants to Loreta’s nieces and nephews.
Escalante said the LGU will give Loreta a hero’s burial on November 5.
The Alacre family received initial financial assistance from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, as well as P500,000 from the Office of the House Speaker.
Loreta’s remains arrived at her home in Barangay Cadiz Viejo’s Sitio Camay-an on Sunday, October 22.
The family said Loreta worked as an OFW in Israel because she wanted to support the education of her nieces and nephews, while providing assistance for her other sister, who is a single parent.
Loreta was killed by the Palestinian terror group Hamas on October 7, while fleeing from an attack at the Tribe of Nova Music Festival in Kibbutz Re’im in southern Israel.
Three other OFWs were also killed in the attacks by Hamas, including 45-year-old Ilongga Mary Grace Prodigo-Cabrera of Iloilo province’s Maasin town.
Meanwhile, Engineer Jose Maria Amugod, officer of the Negros Occidental Migrant Resource Center, said his office hasn’t received reports about other Negrense OFWs in Israel seeking help to escape the developing conflict.
Based on their data, Amugod said there are 231 land-based and sea-based Negrense OFWs in Israel.
He added that it is possible that some OFWs are having second thoughts about repatriation, as they may lose their livelihood if they decide to return home.
The Public Assistance Desk for families of Negrense OFWs, located at the Provincial Capitol in Bacolod City, remains open.
The Department of Foreign Affairs reported that at least seven OFWs are currently being held captive by Hamas in the Gaza Strip as of October 10.
Hamas released a statement that the foreign nationals they have held captive are being treated as “guests.”
The group said they are willing to release foreign nationals, since they are not involved in the conflict, although they will only do it if the conditions are right./DGB, WDJ