MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Foreign Affairs strongly urged Filipinos in Myanmar to leave as soon as possible as it raised the alert level for the country to Alert Level 4 in view of the worsening COVID-19 situation there.
In a post on its Facebook page, the Philippine Embassy in Yangon, Myanmar, explained that the alert level was raised to ensure the safety and welfare of the remaining Filipinos in the country.
According to the embassy, the healthcare system in Myanmar is close to reaching its maximum capacity and may not be able to provide adequate medical attention to Filipinos who become ill in the coming weeks.
In a television interview on Tuesday, Philippine Ambassador to Myanmar, Eduardo Kapunan Jr., said some 43 Filipinos had so far volunteered to be repatriated and were scheduled to return to the Philippines on Aug. 5.