Delay seen in PH return of caregiver’s remains amidst Middle East conflict
The ongoing conflict in the Middle East is directly affecting Filipino families, as the return of a Filipina caregiver's remains, who tragically died during an Iranian airstrike in Israel, faces significant delays. Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac stated that airspace closures across the region are preventing the immediate repatriation. This highlights the severe human cost of the escalating tensions and the challenges in assisting Filipinos caught in the crossfire.
Mary Ann Velazquez de Vera, a 32-year-old Filipina caregiver from Basista, Pangasinan, was killed in an Iranian missile strike on Tel Aviv on February 28, 2026. She died from shrapnel wounds while helping her elderly patient reach a bomb shelter during the attack. The strike occurred as part of Iran's retaliatory ballistic missile attacks on Israel following the reported killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in a US-Israel operation. De Vera was the first person killed in Israel during this renewed conflict and the first Filipino casualty in the escalating Middle East tensions.
Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac confirmed on March 2, 2026, that the repatriation of De Vera's remains faces significant delays due to airspace closures across the Middle East region. The ongoing conflict has forced the shutdown of airports and restricted air travel, preventing immediate transport of her remains back to the Philippines. Philippine Ambassador to Israel Aileen Mendiola noted that airport shutdowns are complicating logistics for repatriation.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. personally announced De Vera's death, praising her selflessness and confirming she was the first Filipino casualty in the conflict. He assured government assistance to her family, including her husband who is also an overseas Filipino worker in Israel. Israeli President Isaac Herzog called Ambassador Mendiola to express condolences, while Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Oren Marmorstein highlighted that the strike hit a civilian building housing elderly residents and children.
The Philippine government is working with Israeli authorities to coordinate the repatriation once airspace conditions allow safe passage. De Vera had been working in Israel since 2019, and her identity was confirmed through biometric records at the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute, where her husband positively identified her remains. The situation highlights the severe human cost of the escalating regional tensions and the challenges faced by Filipino workers caught in conflict zones abroad.
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