Another batch of 35 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) arrived yesterday as the Philippine Embassy in Damascus continued its repatriation efforts in light of the security situation in Syria.
Foreign Affairs spokesman Raul Hernandez said 41 OFWs will arrive today via Emirates Airlines courtesy of the International Organization for Migration bringing to 868 the total number of Filipinos repatriated from Syria since evacuation efforts started in March 2011.
"The Philippine Embassy in Damascus continues to assist thousands of Filipinos working in Syria and ensure their safety and welfare there," he said.
"The embassy is working on the instruction of Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. Del Rosario to fully and effectively implement crisis alert level 4 due to the security situation in that country," he said.
Crisis alert level 4 entails the mandatory repatriation of all Filipino nationals in the country, with the cost of evacuation to be shouldered by the Philippine government.
Del Rosario said the DFA has fielded another team of negotiators to augment the embassy’s efforts in procuring the exit papers of OFWs.
"From our visit to Damascus two weeks ago, we have anticipated a probable escalation of violence which resulted in our bringing in an additional team of negotiators to focus on mandatory repatriation," he said.
Del Rosario said should the security situation in Syria worsen, a rapid response team will be activated to address the timely extraction of Filipinos.
"Based on new developments in Homs, we may need to go one step further and resort to a strategy of extraction. For this, we will activate our rapid response team made up of PNP, DOLE, and DFA personnel," he said.
He said in the event that an extraction is necessary, the DFA will be bringing back non-essential Filipinos such as the families of Embassy personnel. –Antonio delos Reyes
