• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The remains of Negrense Overseas Filipino Worker Loreta Villarin Alacre will arrive in the Philippines on Oct. 22, according to Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson.
Lacson, however, said that the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration regional director Rizza Joy Moldes did not give a specific time regarding the arrival of the remains of Alacre.
Alacre, 49, of Sitio Camay-an, Brgy. Cadiz Viejo, Cadiz City, was among the four Filipino OFWs confirmed by the Department of Foreign Affairs to be among the fatalities in the attacks by Hamas fighters on October 7 in Israel.
The city government of Cadiz in Negros Occidental is preparing for the reported plans of President Ferdinand Marcos visit the wake of Alacre, as soon as her remains arrive in the country.
The President has been invited also by Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez to attend the culmination of MassKara Festival in Bacolod City on Oct. 22.
Regarding confirmation on the arrival of PBBM to visit the wake of Alacre, Lacson said he will wait for information from OWWA.
The seven siblings of Alacre recently received P500,000 financial aid from Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.
Loreta had been working as a caregiver in Haifa and Tel Aviv, Israel, for 15 years.
On assistance to be extended to the family of Alacre, Lacson said “We will see where we come in, at least, para naman significant ang (so it can be a significant) contribution of the provincial government”, Lacson said.
Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega disclosed on Thursday that the fourth confirmed fatality in Israel was also a female caregiver in southern Israel.*
