MOURNING FOR LORIE. The City of Cadiz in Negros Occidental, the hometown of caregiver Loreta Alacre, who was identified as among the Filipino fatalities during the Hamas attack in Israel, is mourning her demise. Mayor Salvador Escalante Jr. said on Friday (Oct. 13 2023) the city government is willing to help the Alacre family "in their moment of grief". (Image from Noam Solomon Facebook account)
BACOLOD CITY – The Negros Occidental provincial government has assured help for families of Negrenses needing assistance in the war-torn Israel.
This includes the relatives of Loreta Alacre, who was identified as among the Filipino fatalities as confirmed on Friday by the city government of Cadiz, her hometown in northern Negros.
In a statement, Mayor Salvador Escalante Jr. said he, along with the rest of Cadiznons, mourned the death of Alacre, 49, of Sitio Camay-an, Barangay Cadiz Viejo.
“The city government is beyond willing to assist the Alacre family in their moment of grief,” he added.
Escalante gave the assurance after the Alacre family, through Loreta’s elder sister Annabella, confirmed that the Philippine Embassy in Israel informed their other sister, who is working in Kuwait, that Loreta died during the attack of the Hamas militant group in Southern Israel bordering Gaza last Saturday.
The Tel Aviv-based Negrense caregiver, who had worked in Israel for about 15 years, was then attending the Supernova Music Festival outside the Re’im Kibbutz near the Gaza Strip.
“We will coordinate with the provincial government for the oneness of our efforts in helping the bereaved family, especially for the return of Loreta’s remains to Sitio Camay-an, Barangay Cadiz Viejo,” Escalante said.
Provincial Public Affairs head Jose Maria Amugod, whose office hosts the Migrant Resource Center (MRC), said on Friday Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson has assured the Alacre family of assistance.
“We will discuss the assistance that will be provided. We have the Provincial Committee on Migration and Development, wherein the Department of Migrant Workers and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration are also members,” he added.
Amugod said aside from the Alacre family, they have not received requests for assistance from relatives of other overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from the province.
MRC data showed there are more than 200 OFWs from Negros Occidental employed in Israel.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Alacre’s employer Noam Solomon, who has posted on Facebook that she had been reported missing after the Hamas attack, has not provided an update.
She has described Alacre as her “dedicated caregiver for the last six years” and also uploaded a collage of the Negrense’s pictures as cover photo with a text, “Please help find my Lorie”. (PNA)
