Last April 6, 2017, The Philippine Embassy in Israel posted an advisory signed by Ambassador Niel Imperial with regards to the implementation of safety measures to improve the safety and security of the Phillipine Embassy office. Guidelines were stated including the deposit/surrender of cellular phones at the entrance before entering the main office of the embassy.This was implemented January 2017 before the advisory was posted because of numerous complaints from the OFW’s regarding this matter.Even Filipino leaders from different organizations who are conducting their meetings at the Embassy are mandated to follow the order to leave/ surrender their respective cellular phones.
The concerns of all Filipino OFW in Israel who worked in caregiving sector are,we have employers that are not 100% stable, most of the time they are not in their right mind because of dementia and Alzheimers. For these reasons, they need our direct supervision during our days off, specially in times that we need to process important documents from our Philippine Embassy. Every documents that we tend to process needs time, if you are not lucky your half day is not enough. Not to mention the travel time, some live quite far from where the Embassy is situated.Some staff from the Philippine Embassy doesn’t understand the situation that the caregivers are into.  During days off, this is only the time that we need to accomplish the things that we have to, like documents or appoinments from the Embassy. We also sacrifice to have our relievers to replace us in our duty, but we need to be in touch with them every now and then because relievers have limited knowledge when it comes to our job. Facts, we sometimes need to add extra amount to certain relievers just for them to take our place. Inside the embassy, we badly need our phones for that main reason to get connected to our relievers most importantly our employers.
The Filipino nationals are not enemies,WE ARE NOT TERRORISTS! We are the people that the personnel from the Philippine Embassy should be serving with respect and understanding. The Philippine Embassy staffs should be helping the OFW’s who trustfully appear at the embassy because they need help and aside from that, the embassy staff have the knowledge about the things that these people needed.
Now a days,needed information for our documents are mainly stored in our cellular phones,leaving our cellular phones at the entrance is giving us a hard time to go back and forth for the details needed. At times, the guard is also irritated of us asking him our phones every now and then if we need to make a call. It’s annoying to all OFW in Israel with this kind of situation goes on, it’s not a healthy relation anymore.
With this, we requests the head of the Philippine embassy Israel to consider our request about this matter, to allow our cellular phones inside the Philippine embassy.  If we are entrusting you with our documents, please trusts us with our needed cellphones.
I beg also to all Filipino OFW in Israel to please sign this Petition in order for the right person to act on our behalf.