MANILA: The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) yesterday said the Philippine government is “working double time” to bring home as many Filipinos as possible in light of the deteriorating situation in Syria.
DFA spokesman Raul Hernandez said the Philippine embassy in Damascus has intensified efforts to repatriate the remaining overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) there.
According to Hernandez, the Syrian government and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) have assured the Philippines of their continued assistance in its mandatory repatriation efforts. 41 OFW repatriates are scheduled to arrive today, bringing to 4,728 the total number of Filipinos repatriated from Syria since December 2011.
The DFA also advised Filipinos in Syria to avoid telecommunication facilities, defence establishments, military installations and the like “as these places are possible targets of attack.”
“We continue to urge our citizens in Syria to immediately contact our embassy in Damascus or our honorary consul in Aleppo for repatriation arrangements,” he said.
“We appeal to the families of OFWs in the Philippines to inform the department of the whereabouts and contact details of the OFWs in Syria,” he added.
The Philippine star
