32 more Filipinos to be repatriated from Syria

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Monday said that 32 Filipinos from strife-torn Syria were expected to arrive in Manila Monday as part of the Philippine government’s mandatory evacuation program.

“This will bring the total number of repatriates from the country to 2,042,” the DFA said in a statement.

The statement noted that the 32 Filipinos, including three minors, would arrive in two groups at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 on board Emirates flights EK 332 at 4:35 p.m. and EK 334 at 10:10 p.m.

It said that most of the repatriates were from the Syrian capital of Damascus, and that some were from Latakia and the conflict-stricken city of Hama.

“The exit visa fees, penalties, and other administrative requirements of these repatriates were waived as a direct result of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Rafael E. Seguis’ negotiations with Syrian authorities,” the statement added.

The Philippine government gained success in cutting a deal with the Syrian government when Syrian authorities agreed to waive the exit visa fees, penalties, and requirements for 140 Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).

In a statement, the DFA said the deal saved the government over $100,000.

Seguis left for Syria on July 22 to request the government there to simplify exit requirements for Filipino workers trying to escape the escalating violence in the country and facilitate their repatriation to the Philippines.

Seguis and six members of the government’s Rapid Response Team—composed of officers from the DFA, Department of Labor and Employment, and Department of the Interior and Local Government—were deployed to Syria on orders of Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario to assist the Philippine Embassy in Damascus in its repatriation efforts.

Syria has been under the DFA’s crisis alert level 4, or mandatory evacuation of OFWs, since late last year.