No OFWs in Egypt requesting assistance to be repatriated—DFA

DFA spokesman Raul Hernandez. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—No Filipinos have requested for assistance to be repatriated yet in Egypt despite the crisis alert level two that wasraised by the Philippine embassy in Cairo, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Wednesday.

No Filipinos have also been caught in the violent protests in the country the past week, DFA spokesman assistant secretary Raul Hernandez told reporters in a press briefing.

In light of the crisis alert level two, Filipinos have been advised to avoid public places, restrain from making non-essential travels, and to prepare for possible evacuations.

The deployment of newly hired OFWs to Egypt has also been suspended.

He also said that they have contingency plans in place in the event of an evacuation should the crisis alert level be raised to three.

Possible exit points for evacuation were the airports in Cairo and Alexandria, which also has a sea port.

Civil unrest in Egypt has been ongoing for several weeks after mass protests joined by the Egyptian military ousted then president Mohammed Morsi.

Supporters of Morsi meanwhile also held their own protests against leading to violent clashes against the anti-Morsi protesters.