02 August 2014 – Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. del Rosario met yesterday, August 01, with a portion of a group of 95 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) ready to be repatriated from Libya. This current batch of Filipino evacuees crossed the Tunisian border of Ras Ajdir on July 31. They were bused to the Island of Djerba, over 120 kilometers from the border, where they are being temporarily hosteled, while awaiting their flights to Manila on Sunday.
Secretary Del Rosario assured them and those who have yet to avail of the current mandatory repatriation program, of the continuing assistance of the Philippine government under the aegis of the Rapid Response Team (RRT) composed of members from various agencies, such as the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Philippine National Police (PNP), and Philippine Foreign Service Posts in surrounding areas.
Secretary Del Rosario urged the workers to convince their friends and co-workers who are still in Libya to avail themselves of the mandatory evacuation being undertaken by the government due to the escalating violence and lawlessness in that country.
He related that the border crossing between Tunisia and Libya was closed earlier in the day because of the shooting incident on July 31 which was precipitated by the unruly surge of refugees trying to flee Libya. Likewise, the border crossing from Libya to Egypt at As Salloum has been closed for some months now. Major airports have also been closed, thus narrowing the options for repatriation.
After several attempts to contract sea vessels which may be the only means of repatriation, the DFA was able to contract a ship that will, within a few days time, travel from Malta to fetch repatriates from Benghazi, Misrata and possibly Tripoli and then back to Malta as transit point for flights to Manila.
There were an estimated 13,000 OFWs in Libya, while over the last few weeks, about 800 have been repatriated. There are currently over 200 in the Philippine Embassy in Tripoli who are being processed for repatriation and this number is rapidly increasing.
The DFA is appealing with urgency to those who have not made the decision to be repatriated to please consider doing so as the avenues of repatriation are quickly diminishing.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Embassy in Tripoli may be reached at:
Embassy of the Philippines
KM 7 Gargaresh Road, Abu Nawas
P.O. Box 12508, Tripoli, Libya
Telephone numbers (00218) 918-244-208
E--mail addresses This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
The DFA also put up 24-hour hotlines numbers (02) 552-7105 / (02) 834-4685 for families who have questions and concerns about the condition of their relatives in Libya. The DFA may also be reached via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. END