Gov’t texts, writes, calls OFWs to come home

Filipino children watch as activists hold a rally in front of the Department of Foreign Affairs in suburban Pasay, Philippines as they call on the government to ensure the safe and immediate evacuation of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) from war-torn Libya on Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2014. Philippine Embassy officials and crisis management team members are using every means possible to convince overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in strife-torn Libya and Yemen to come home. (AP PHOTO/AARON FAVILA)

MANILA, Philippines–E-mails, texts, phone calls, personal visits—name it.

Philippine Embassy officials and crisis management team members are using every means possible to convince overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in strife-torn Libya and Yemen to come home.

While the methods have worked to some extent, with 165 Filipinos set to return home from Libya within the week and 745 signing up for repatriation in Yemen, more compatriots apparently still need convincing.

Mandatory

At a press conference on Monday, Foreign Affairs spokesman Charles Jose reiterated the appeal to Filipinos in the strife-torn countries to come home.

“We urge our remaining kababayan in Libya to avail themselves of the mandatory repatriation offer as soon as possible before it becomes more difficult to repatriate them due to the continuing deterioration of security in the country,” Jose said.

“We also appeal to the next-of-kin of the Filipinos in Libya to encourage them to return home,” he said.

Some 4,000 Filipinos are still in Libya.

Jose expressed optimism Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario’s visit to Tunisia on March 13 and 14 had encouraged more Filipinos in Libya to sign up for repatriation.

He said the crisis management team at the embassy in Riyadh had been working to convince Filipinos in Yemen, where alert level 4 remains hoisted requiring mandatory repatriation, to return home.

Consistent advisories

“The efforts (of the crisis team) include consistently issuing e-mail and SMS advisories on repatriation schedules as well as individually phoning Filipinos throughout Yemen,” he said.

Jose said Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Ezzedin Tago held talks with Filipino community representatives to explain the “deteriorating situation in Yemen and urged them to make a quick decision on repatriation.”

On Monday afternoon, 39 Filipinos arrived from Libya. Five are expected to arrive at noon Tuesday.

The 44 brings to 4,414 the total number of repatriates from Libya since May 2014.

The Philippine Embassy in Riyadh has reported the repatriation of 14 Filipinos from Yemen, with seven of them returning home on their own.