In a statement, the DFA said that 15 of the said OFWs came from Aleppo, the city which has borne the brunt of the conflict since fighting erupted there last month. It said that four others, including a minor, came from Damascus.
This latest batch brings to 2,098 the total number of OFWs repatriated from Syria.
In December, the DFA raised Crisis Alert Level 4, which calls for the mandatory evacuation of all Filipinos based in Syria.
In its statement, the DFA continued to urge the families of Filipinos in Syria to provide the Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs (OUMWA) with the latest information regarding their next-of-kin’s current location and their contact details in Syria by calling (02) 834-4996 or (02) 834-3333.
It said Filipinos in Syria could likewise contact the embassy for assistance at 963-11-6132626.