Filipino evacuees from war-stricken Sudan arrive at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport – Terminal 1 in Pasay City on Thursday, May 4, 2023. (Photo from the Department of Migrant Workers)
MANILA, Philippines — There were 146 Filipinos in conflict-stricken Sudan who “did not manifest their wish to be repatriated,” the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said on Friday.
Because of this, Egypt Ambassador Ezzedin Tago made an order to contact them and convince them to go home, according to DMW Undersecretary for Foreign Employment and Welfare Service Hans Leo Cacdac.
“According to Ambassador Tago, mayroon around 146 na kailangang kontakin o tawagan, nagpa-rehistro but did not manifest their wish to be repatriated,” Cacdac said in an online press briefing.
(According to Ambassador Tago, there are around 146 who need to be contacted, they are the ones who registered but did not manifest their wish to be repatriated.)
“So ang instruction in Ambassador Tago kahapon sa meeting is kontakin yung mga 146 or so na nagparehistro pero hindi nagparehistro na umuwi, at kumbinsihin pa din sila na umuwi,” Cacdac said.
(So Ambassador Tago yesterday made an order to contact the 146 or so — those who registered but did not register themselves to go home — and convince them to return to the country.)
As of present, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) raised Alert Level 3 in Sudan due to the rising conflict. Under this alert classification, repatriation and evacuation of Filipinos remain to be voluntary.
However, there is a chance that the alert classification will be raised to Alert Level 4 if the conflict further escalates, making evacuation mandatory.
“Kapag lumala pa nang husto ang gulo, o tumagal pa ito, may posibilidad po na iakyat ng DFA to Alert Level 4,” said DMW Undersecretary for Licensing and Adjudication Services Bernard Olalia.
(When the conflict there escalates and prolongs, there is a possibility that the DFA will elevate it to Alert Level 4.)
To date, 74 Filipinos have been repatriated in the country, according to DMW.
Hostilities broke out on April 15 amid a power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group.
Sudan’s Health Ministry reported on Tuesday that 550 people have died and 4,926 injured, according to a Reuters report.