Filipinos assisted in leaving Ukraine now at 382
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Foreign Affairs said it has assisted 382 Filipinos to exit Ukraine since the Russian invasion.
In a Twitter post on Tuesday morning, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Sarah Arriola said the department helped bring home 330 Filipinos and 52 have been evacuated from Ukraine.
Repatriation Update of Filipinos in Ukraine as of 21 March 2022, 4:00 pm: @teddyboylocsin @DFAPHL pic.twitter.com/SwDLgubav9
— Sarah Lou Ysmael Arriola (@slyarriola) March 21, 2022
The department on March 7 raised an Alert Level 4 in Ukraine due to the attacks of neighboring Russia. The crisis alert level also gave way for a mandatory evacuation of Filipinos living in Ukraine, done at the expense of the Philippine government.
The DFA said Filipinos will be assisted by its embassies in Europe, including the Philippine Embassy in Warsaw and the Philippine Embassy in Budapest for those near the southern border of Ukraine.
The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration previously said Overseas Filipino workers displaced by the crisis will be receiving cash aid worth $200 or P10,465 on top of educational and livelihood assistance.
10 million displaced
In a separate Twitter post on Monday, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees said 10 million have been displaced due to the war between Ukraine and Russia.
The devastating war in Ukraine has now caused 10 million people to flee, either displaced inside their country, or as refugees abroad. The war has to stop.@FilippoGrandi pic.twitter.com/Yoh3eJ4cR5
— UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency (@Refugees) March 21, 2022
The UN refugee agency said those left in Ukraine, such as those in Mariupol, Sumy, Odesa, and Donetsk, are facing food, water, and medicine shortages.
The UNHCR, along with local authorities and other humanitarian groups, have created reception centers, emergency shelters and providing support for border crossing points in the war-torn country. It is also helping in distritributing "core relief items," as well as making legal aid and psychosocial support accessible.
UNHCR said it is also planning to launch a "large-scale multi-purpose cash program" for internally displaced people.
Meanwhile, the UNHCR’s operational data portal showed that as of March 20, over 3.489 million left Ukraine and sought refuge in neighboring countries since February 24.
Over 2 million refugees sought asylum in Poland, while the others are in Romania, the Republic of Moldova, Hungary, Slovakia, the Russian Federation, and Belarus. UNHCR said women and children account for 90% of those who left the country.
“UNHCR and other agencies have warned of increased risks of trafficking and exploitation. Given the very high protection risks, UNHCR and partners are disseminating key information and awareness raising messages to alert refugees of the risks of trafficking, exploitation and abuse,” UNHCR spokesperson Matthew Saltmarsh said in a briefing note dated March 18. — Kaycee Valmonte
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