By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora
MANILA – Israeli President Isaac Herzog has personally conveyed his condolences to the husband of Mary Ann de Vera, the Filipino caregiver killed by an Iranian missile strike.
Herzog received Bernie Lavarias at the Beit HaNassi (President’s House) in Jerusalem on Thursday, and assured him that he would receive financial assistance, as well as a monthly stipend, under Israel’s compensation program for war victims through the state’s national insurance system.
“On behalf of the State of Israel, I send my deepest condolences to Mary Ann’s family and the entire nation of the Philippines,” Herzog said.
The Philippine Embassy in Israel said the president shared that his own family once had a Filipino caregiver and noted that many Israelis regard Filipino caregivers as part of their own families.
Herzog expressed his gratitude to the Filipino community for their compassion, dedication, and contributions to Israeli society, especially during this conflict.
Philippine Ambassador to Israel Aileen Mendiola, who accompanied Lavarias, thanked Herzog for the support extended to the bereaved family.
She also conveyed the grief of the Filipino community over the loss of Mary Ann and five other Filipinos who perished during the war with Iran last year as well as during the Oct. 7 attacks.
Mendiola underscored the importance of ensuring that workplaces of Filipino workers are equipped with accessible shelters to safeguard their safety during emergencies.
She likewise expressed hope that peace would prevail to prevent further loss of innocent lives.
De Vera was accompanying her elderly ward to a shelter in Tel Aviv when she was hit by a shrapnel from a retaliatory Iranian missile strike after the US and Israel launched a joint military operation on Tehran on Feb. 28.
The embassy said Lavarias accompanied his wife’s remains on a flight for Manila that departed on Thursday night. (PNA)
