69 Filipinos to leave Yemen

MANILA, Philippines—Sixty-nine Filipinos in Yemen will be repatriated under the government’s voluntary repatriation program, the Philippine Embassy in Sanaa reported.

“Save for three, most of these Filipinos are overstayers and there are penalties that must be settled before the Yemeni Passports Authority would agree to issue them an exit visa,” Embassy Charge d’Affaires Ezzedin Tago said.

The Department of Foreign Affairs has raised the alert level to 3 in Yemen amid escalating political tension. Manila will foot the bills of Filipinos who will voluntarily leave the Middle East state.

But Tago said that even as the Philippine government will foot the bill of their repatriation, many still “expressed desire to remain as they are still gainfully employed and are safe in their places of work and residence.”

“Their employers have also assured them that they have an evacuation plan should there be a need to move them out,” he said.

There are over 1,000 documented Filipinos in Yemen.

Filipinos who opted to remain in the country were advised by the embassy to monitor developments and keep emergency bags with them containing their important travel documents, like passports, and food and water.

The embassy will also beef up its personnel to assist in the implementation of the repatriation of Filipinos there.