10 more repatriates from Libya back in Manila

Manila, Philippines—Ten more overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from civil war-hit Libya are now back in Manila, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced Wednesday.

In a tweet, Chargé d’Affaires Elmer Cato said the OFWs are the first batch of repatriates this year.

“They are finally home. The 10 Filipinos repatriated by @PhinLibya (Philippine Embassy in Libya) and @IOM_Libya (International Organization for Migration) have arrived in Manila. They comprise the first batch to be assisted in returning home this year,” Cato wrote.

“This is also the first joint effort of the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Organization for Migration,” the journalist-turned-diplomat added.

Continued unrest in Libya has prompted the Philippine government to ask Filipinos there to avoid and, if necessary, evacuate areas close to where fighting is taking place.

A total of 149 were repatriated last year from the Middle Eastern country, which is currently under Alert Level 4, which calls for mandatory evacuation.

According to data from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), there are about 1,000 OFWs in Libya.

/atm