(Eagle News) – Mandatory evacuation of Filipinos is now underway in Ukraine as the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) raised crisis alert level 4 for all areas in that war-torn country which is heavily being bombarded by Russian forces.
The DFA issued the advisory on Monday, March 7, as around 1.7 million Ukrainians have fled to other countries to escape heavy shelling and bombarding by Russian forces in their country.
Alert Level 4 is issued when there is a “large-scale internal conflict or full-blown external attack” in the country.
Three groups of Filipino evacuees from Ukraine recently arrived in the country, along with their dependents. They departed Warsaw, Poland on Saturday, March 5, and arrived in Manila on Sunday, March 6.
“The latest arrivals came from the capital city of Kyiv and other areas in the western part of Ukraine,” the DFA said in a release.
It said the first group, consisting of four Filipino adults, three Filipino-Ukrainian children with their three Ukrainian mothers, arrived on Sunday afternoon via a Qatar Airlines flight. The second group of two Filipino adults, a Filipino-Ukranian child, and his Ukrainian mother arrived in the evening. The third group of three (3) Filipino nationals from Kyiv arrived in Manila on their own arrangements.
With the Alert Level 4 now being implemented in Ukraine, mandatory evacuation of Filipinos start.
“Filipinos in Ukraine will be assisted by the Philippine Embassy in Poland and the Rapid Response Team, which are currently assisting Filipino nationals for repatriation and relocation,” the DFA said.
It advised Filipinos remaining in Ukraine to contact the Philippine Embassy in Poland through phone, Viber, or Whatsapp at +48 604 357 396.
The Assistance-to-Nationals (ATN) office may also be reached through phone, Viber, or Whatsapp at +48 694 491 663.
“The DFA continues to closely monitor the political and security developments in Ukraine,” the DFA said.
“The Philippine Honorary Consulate General in Kyiv assisted the evacuees in traveling from Kyiv to the western Ukrainian city of Lviv, while the Philippine Embassy in Warsaw provided for their transportation, accommodation and meals in Warsaw,” the DFA said in a tweet.
The DFA has four alert levels—Alert Level 1 or the ‘precautionary phase,’ Alert Level 2 or ‘restriction phase,’ Alert Level 3 or voluntary repatriation phase, and Alert Level 4 for mandatory evacuation or repatriation.
(with a PNA report)