1,265 Pinoys return home from Syria

MANILA, Philippines - Over 1,000 Filipinos including children have returned home from strife-torn Syria and other parts of the Middle East, and thousands more are still awaiting repatriation.

Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz reported yesterday that 1,265 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and their children have arrived in the country after escaping hostilities in Syria and Egypt.        

“The number represents OFWs who were repatriated from the two countries for this year alone. The greater bulk of the returning workers came from Syria,” Baldoz said.

The first batch of 15 repatriates from Egypt, Baldoz said, arrived last Friday. Seven of them were young children.

Nine other OFWs returned home last night from Egypt on Gulf Airways Flight GF 154.

A report from the Department of Foreign Affairs, however, said the Philippine embassy in Beirut has repatriated a total of 1,582 Filipinos from Syria via the Rafik Hariri International Airport in Beirut.

Philippine Ambassador to Lebanon Leah Basinang-Ruiz said credit should be  given to Caritas Lebanon Migrant Center for opening its shelter to Filipino repatriates from Syria.

Citing a report from the Philippine Overseas Labor Office, Baldoz said 181 Filipinos are awaiting repatriation at the Philippine embassy in Syria.

In the past two years, a total of 3,306 OFWs have returned from Syria where escalating violence has prompted the Philippine government to order their mandatory repatriation.

Baldoz also said 4,509 Filipino workers are set to return home from Saudi Arabia.

Labor attaché Alejandro Padaen reported that 1,018 Filipinos, including 255 children, have returned home to escape possible arrest and imprisonment due to a crackdown against illegally staying workers in Saudi Arabia.

He said 258 other Filipinos are expected to return in the next few days while 4,509 more are still in the process of securing exit visas.

The labor chief assured the returning Filipinos that local jobs as well as livelihood assistance are available.

For the returning workers from Egypt, Baldoz said, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration is negotiating with recruitment agencies for the workers’ redeployment to other countries. – With Pia Lee-Brago