Unang Pinoy Casualty sa Mideast Conflict Confirmed, Marcos Vows Full Help

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. confirmed the first reported Filipino fatality in the worsening conflict in the Middle East, saying the victim was Mary Anne Velazquez de Vera, a caregiver from Pangasinan who had been working in Israel.

Based on the government report cited by the President, de Vera was helping her ward get to a bomb shelter when they were caught in an attack before reaching safety. Her husband, who is also an overseas Filipino worker in Israel, has already identified her.

Marcos said the government will provide all necessary help to the victim’s family. The statement came as Philippine embassies and labor offices across the region remain on heightened alert while hostilities continue and the risk to overseas Filipinos stays high.

The situation escalated after the United States and Israel launched a major operation against Iran, which Washington said was aimed at weakening Tehran’s military capability and addressing what it described as a nuclear threat. Iran later retaliated by launching drones and missiles toward Israel and striking US facilities in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar.

For the Philippines, the bigger concern now is the safety of millions of Filipinos working across the region. Habang tumitindi ang gulo, the government says monitoring and assistance operations will continue to make sure affected OFWs and their families are not left on their own. Source: Philippine News Agency