Department of Foreign Affairs: Embassy ready to repatriate Pinoys in Syria

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine embassy in Syria is ready to repatriate Filipinos who want to leave the war-torn Gulf nation, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Friday.

The DFA issued the statement after the Syrian military recently bombarded the last stronghold of Islamic militants in Damascus, Syria’s capital.

Alex Lamadrid, chargé d’affaires of the Philippine embassy in Syria, met with embassy officials to assess the latest offensive against the rebels.

The embassy advised some 500 Filipinos in Damascus to stay indoors and avoid unnecessary travel despite the reported surrender of the rebels.

“Syrian army bombardment and the retaliatory mortar fire could be heard at the embassy, which is seven kilometers away from the nearest point of fighting,” DFA assistant secretary Elmer Cato said.

“Chargé d’affaires Lamadrid told members of the Filipino community that the embassy is ready to repatriate any of them who may want to leave Syria for the Philippines,” Cato said.

Syria was placed under crisis Alert Level 4 and a deployment ban was implemented by the Philippine government when the civil war erupted in 2011.

However, some 1,000 Filipinos remained in the country, many of whom are spouses of Syrian nationals and household service workers.

Last week, a joint missile strike by the United States, the United Kingdom and France struck various military installations believed to be involved in the manufacture and storage of chemical weapons.

The strike, which was condemned by Russia, was in response to the alleged use of chemical weapons earlier by the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. 

No Filipino was reported hurt in the latest incidents in Syria, according to the DFA.

Amnesty program ends

Meanwhile, the three-month amnesty program for undocumented Filipinos and other foreign nationals in Kuwait ends today.

The DFA said it has completed the repatriation of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who availed themselves of the amnesty program, which started in January.

Cato said a total of 4,933 undocumented Filipinos in Kuwait have been covered by the repatriation program.

The last two batches composed of more than 300 repatriates will leave Kuwait today, ending the program aimed at bringing home undocumented and overstaying Filipinos in the Middle Eastern nation.

Some 100 repatriates were expected to arrive at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport last night.

A team led by DFA undersecretary for migrant workers affairs Sarah Lou Arriola went to Kuwait last week to supervise the repatriation.

Despite the end of the repatriation program for those who availed themselves of the amnesty, Arriola said the government is ready to assist other undocumented Filipinos who wish to return to the Philippines.

Some 10,000 Filipinos are believed to be undocumented in Kuwait and about 251,000 are documented, many of whom are working as household service workers.

The Duterte administration this year ordered a deployment ban to Kuwait over reports of abuse of Filipino workers, particularly the case of Joanna Demafelis whose body was found in a freezer in an abandoned apartment.