Filipino workers in Syria won’t leave despite unrest, says DFA

MANILA, Philippines – Despite an alert level 3 and calls by the Department of Foreign Affairs to Filipino Workers (OFW) in Syria to leave that country due to the ongoing unrest, not one has left, a DFA spokesman said over 990AM Tuesday.

Raul Hernandez said the mandatory repatriation for an estimated 17,000 Filipinos, mostly domestic household workers in Syria, was declared last year but there has been “no takers” so far.

“They still feel safe but we are still telling them that we are already on alert level 3 particularly in Homs, Latakia and Daraa, so voluntary repatriation is still in place,” said Hernandez.

“We have a contingency plan to force repatriate them if needed,” he added. Danica Hermogenes, INQUIRER.net

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