In this photo taken on a government-organized tour, Syrian soldiers salute residents as they sit atop their armored personnel carrier on their way out of the eastern city of Deir el-Zour, Syria, Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2011. State-run news agency SANA said army units began withdrawing from Deir el-Zour Tuesday after ridding the city of "armed terrorist gangs" in an operation that lasted several days. (AP Photo/Bassem Tellawi)
MANILA, Philippines — Despite the escalating violence in Syria, Filipinos there haven’t decided on whether to stay or return home, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Administrator Carmelita Dimzon said over 990AM Friday.
“We are still on alert level 3. Our team continues to receive queries about who, how they will be repatriated but so far, they’re just queries. They have not decided yet if they will accept the government’s offer of repatriation,” Dimzon said in an interview.
“That is why up to last night [August 18], our team in Syria has not yet made its final list of those returning here,” she said.
There are about 17,000 Filipinos in Syria, most of them domestic workers.
At the same time, Dimzon said they were offering free phone calls to Filipinos here who have relatives in Syria and Libya.
“They can come to our offices if they want to get in touch with their loved ones,” she said.
Tetch Torres