DFA gives $200 financial aid to Filipinos in Ukraine

MANILA, Philippines — Amid the Russian invasion, Filipinos in Ukraine have received $200 financial assistance from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

DFA Undersecretary Sarah Lou Arriola said that aside from the cash aid, psychosocial counseling was also provided.

“We already gave all the adults at least $200 financial assistance para mayroon naman silang pagsisimulan tapos siyempre kailangan din psychosocial counseling kasi ‘di pa natin alam kung na-warshock ba sila o kung ano man ‘yung pinagdaanan ng ating mga kababayan,” she said in Monday’s Laging Handa public briefing.

(We already gave all the adults at least $200 financial assistance and they also need psychosocial counseling because we do not know if they are in shock or what they have been through.)

“What we’re trying to do is to be in constant contact with the Filipinos who choose to stay and at least know where they are also at the same time, give them assistance or care packages kung kinakailangan po nila ‘to (if they need it),” the official added.

According to Arriola, some Filipinos decided to stay in Ukraine while some are willing to stay for two to three months more despite the crisis because they “like it in Ukraine.”

“May kababayan din tayo na feeling nila—gusto talaga nila i-wait out. Maghintay lang talaga matapos ‘yung kaguluhan at ayaw pa nila umuwi kasi they like their quality of life there, they like it in Ukraine, and they think matatapos din ‘to,” she explained.

(We have fellow Filipinos that want to wait. They will wait until the crisis stops because they do not want to go back to the Philippines yet as they like their quality of life there, they like it in Ukraine, and they think that it will end.)

Six Filipinos have evacuated to Moldova while 13 Filipinos have arrived in Poland.

To date, six Filipinos were repatriated to the Philippines amid the tensions between Russia and Ukraine.

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