Atleast 21 Filipino government officials, including eight mayors- three of which are from Eastern Visayas and two vice mayors, are currently taking shelter in Israel after being caught in the middle of the rapidly escalating conflict between Israel and Iran.
The delegation, composed of local chief executives and national government officials, had traveled to Israel as official guests of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
They were participating in separate study programs on dairy farming and urban sustainability when missile exchanges forced the closure of Israel's airspace.
Among those confirmed stranded are Barugo, Leyte Mayor Aaron Balais; Lawaan, Eastern Samar Mayor Athene Mendros; Hindang, Leyte Mayor Betty Cabal; and other mayors from Nueva Ecija, Bataan, Camarines Sur, La Union, and South Cotabato.
Also with the group are party-list Representative Teodoro Montoro of AASENSO, several vice mayors, officials from the Department of Agriculture (DA), and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
“We are currently staying in a bomb-proof bunker near our hotel,” Mayor Balais confirmed via message. “The situation is tense and unpredictable, but we are safe and in close contact with the Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv.”
According to Israeli Ambassador Ilan Fluss, the delegation arrived in two batches. One group focused on learning advanced dairy farming techniques, while the other joined a sustainability study under the “Promoting Sustainability and Food Security in Urban Areas” program.
The training, which began on June 10, was scheduled to end on June 20.
However, the unexpected escalation of hostilities — triggered by Israel’s recent airstrike that killed several high-ranking Iranian figures — led Iran to launch retaliatory hypersonic missile attacks. The ongoing missile exchange prompted Israel to lock down its airspace and activate nationwide emergency protocols.
The Israeli government has taken full responsibility for the stranded guests’ safety. Deputy Head of Mashav (Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation), Ambassador Irit Savion Waidergorn, said their team is ensuring proper accommodation, meals, and secure shelter in bunker rooms during missile alerts.
“We were very happy and excited that they came,” Waidergorn said. “But the situation has changed, and we are now focused on making sure they are safe and can return home as soon as possible.”
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) confirmed that efforts are underway to repatriate the group via Jordan by the weekend. DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Eduardo Jose De Vega said the 21-member delegation will exit through a land border into Jordan before flying back to the Philippines.
House spokesperson Princess Abante clarified that, contrary to initial reports, no sitting members of the 19th Congress are in Israel. Verification revealed that supposed AASENSO Party-list representatives do not appear on the official House roster.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv is continuing to coordinate with Israeli authorities for the safe exit of the group, which includes DA Assistant Secretary Benjamin Alvarece, DILG Region 6 Director Juan Jovian Ingeniero, and several representatives from the National Dairy Authority.
This incident underscores the growing risks international delegations face amid heightened geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. Despite a DFA advisory against non-essential travel to Israel, the study visit was classified as “essential,” allowing the officials to proceed with their mission.
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