4 more Filipinos set to arrive on Friday, Feb. 25, after Feb. 18 repatriation of 6 nationals
(Eagle News) – The Philippine government is ensuring the safety of 181 Filipinos in Ukraine and is continuing repatriation of nationals who want to return to the Philippines amid the increasing Russia-Ukraine crisis.
Malacanang issued the statement on Thursday, February 24, after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced his decision to conduct special military operations in Ukraine.
-Palace says safety of Filipinos in Ukraine, priority of Pres. Duterte-
“The safety of Filipinos in Ukraine remains foremost in the mind of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte,” the Palace said.
“The Philippine government, through the Department of Foreign Affairs, is now conducting repatriation efforts of Filipinos living in Ukraine,” it added.
So far, the DFA said it had already accounted for 181 Filipino nationals in Ukraine, the great majority of which are in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv. It said that the Philippine embassy in Warsaw, Poland had “placed great efforts in counting and accounting for every kababayan” in Ukaine. The two countries share a border of about 529 kilometers.
As of February 18, six Filipinos from Ukraine have been repatriated. Four more have been arranged for voluntary repatriation and are set to depart today, Thursday, February 24, from Kyiv.
“We expect them to arrive tomorrow here in Manila and we will be at the airport to welcome them home,” the DFA statement said.
“Our kababayans’ safe and prompt repatriation is the Department’s top priority,” it said.
-DFA advises Filipinos in Ukraine not to panic, maintain communication –
“For now, we urge our kababayans in Ukraine not to panic but to exercise caution and mind their movement, to keep their vigilance, and to maintain communication with the Philippine Embassy Team in Lviv or the Consulate General in Kyiv should they need any assistance,” the DFA said.
The department also assured Filipinos remaining in Ukraine that the DFA would “maintain its presence in Lviv in support of the Consulate General in Kyiv as long as there is a clear and present need.”
“Rest assured that your DFA is always working for and because of you,” it said.
The DFA said it conducted “regular weekly meetings with our Filipino community in Ukraine” and sent a team on the ground in Lviv as early as February 17.
“From Lviv in the west, and Kyiv right at the heart of Ukraine, through our Philippine Honorary Consulate General, the DFA is managing the repatriation of our nationals,” it said.
The DFA said that the repatriation efforts of Filipinos in Ukraine were due to the “close coordination between our Philippine Honorary Consulate General in Kyiv, our Embassy Team in Lviv, the Embassy in Warsaw, and the Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs (OUMWA).”
The repatriation is also funded by the Department’s Assistance to Nationals fund.
“As Secretary (Teodoro) Locsin (Jr.) said, our chief and singular concern is to take out of harm’s way our fellow Filipinos in Ukraine and bring them to the nearest places of safety by the fastest possible way. Our Posts in Warsaw, Budapest, and Moscow, as well as the rest of our European Posts, are on standby for any eventuality,” the DFA said.
(Eagle News Service)
