MANILA, Dec. 4 — Fifteen (15) overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from Syria, who availed of the Mandatory Repatriation Program (MRP), is expected to arrive today December 04 at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on board Emirates Airlines flight number EK-332 from Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
This brings the total number of Filipinos repatriated from Syria to 5,546. Of this number, 2,517 were repatriated through Lebanon, with the cooperation, assistance and support of the Philippine Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, the Deparment of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
The repatriates underwent departure briefing and medical check-up prior to their travel to Manila. Their tickets were shouldered by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Damascus.
Aside from the 15 repatriates, the Philippine Embassy in Damascus also assisted the repatriation of a Vietnamese national, Ms. Pham Thi Tuan who sought sheltered at the Embassy’s Halfway Quarters on November 23. The assistance extended to Ms. Lan by the Embassy is considered an act of fraternal expression to Vietnam, as both are members of ASEAN, which are committed to help each other’s citizen under an agreement that was formalized in 2007 that aims on helping ASEAN nationals in crisis situations outside ASEAN countries.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Embassy in Damascus continuously coordinates with the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates for the issuance of exit visas for OFWs who are currently sheltered at the Halfway Quarters.
With the MRP still in place, the Philippine Embassy is inviting the next-of-kin of Filipino workers who are still in Syria to get in touch with the Embassy a the following contact details: 00963-11-6132626, 00963-949155557, 00963-934957926, email: [email protected] and to provide information of their family member’s whereabouts so that immediate assistance can be extended to them. (DFA)
