(FILE) More Filipinos from Ukraine arrive in the Philippines together with their dependents on Sunday, March 6, 2022. Photo from DFA
MANILA, Philippines — A total of 199 Filipinos who were evacuated from Ukraine are now “out of harm’s way,” an official of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Wednesday.
DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs Sarah Lou Arriola said 63 Filipinos have so far been repatriated to the Philippines, while 136 have been transported to other European countries.
“As of now, 199 Filipinos na po ang out of harm’s way, kasi may nakauwi na pong 63 tapos ‘yung iba po, ‘yung 136 nandoon na po sa ibang countries, naghihintay na lang ng eroplanong pabalik sa Pilipinas,” she said in an interview with ABS-CBN News’ Teleradyo.
(As of now, 199 Filipinos are already out of harm’s way, because 63 have already been sent home, and 136 have been evacuated to other countries and are waiting for a flight bound to the Philippines.)
However, Arriola said some Filipino seafarers are still stranded while household service workers and Filipino women who are married to Ukranian men are still staying in Ukraine.
According to the DFA official, six Filipinos have been evacuated to Poland, 33 to Moldova, 73 to Romania, nine to Austria, and 15 to Hungary.
Arriola urges Filipino evacuees to avail of repatriation to the Philippines so that they will not add to the many evacuees in European countries.
“Mas mabuti na nandito sila kaysa makipagsiksikan sila sa more than two million refugees, kasi sabi ng United Nations, over two million na na refugees ang lumabas sa Ukraine. Hindi naman po tayo refugee na maiko-consider dahil ‘yung bansa po natin ay maluwag na maluwag silang tinatanggap,” she noted.
(It is better if they will be repatriated to the Philippines instead of crowding with more than two million refugees. The United Nations said two million refugees have left Ukraine. Filipinos can’t be considered refugees because our country is freely accepting them.)
“Tsaka parang tulong na rin po iyon sa mga Ukrainian. Umuwi muna po sila kasi wala rin naman silang trabaho doon dahil nakikita nga po natin sa television, grabe ang bombahan,” she added.
(This is also to help the Ukranians. They should go home because they do not have work there. We have seen the bomb attacks in television.)
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