02 September 2013 – The Philippine Embassies in Damascus and Beirut stepped up their efforts to repatriate Filipinos caught in the violence in Syria. Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Rafael E. Seguis is currently in Syria to oversee the repatriation program’s implementation.
The Undersecretary also met with Syria’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Dr. Faisal Mekdad and the Presidential Adviser for Political and Media Affairs, Dr. Bouthaina Shaaban last August 29. He was assured by the two officials of the Syrian Government’s continued support for the repatriation program, particularly in the processing of exit visas.
As of August 30, a total of 4,567 Filipinos have been repatriated from Syria and an estimated 3,000 Filipinos are still in the strife-torn country.
Meanwhile, the transfer of exit-visa holders from Damascus to Beirut is being done by the two Embassies regularly to ensure the safety of our nationals.
Last August 30, a group of 68 Filipinos safely crossed the Syrian-Lebanese border. They are currently under the care of the Embassy in Beirut and will be repatriated as soon as airline seats become available.
More cross-border repatriations will be undertaken in the coming days. A group of 92 Filipino exit visa-holders will be transferred to Beirut, hopefully by Saturday, September 07.
The Embassy in Damascus’ contingency plan is also in place and measures are being taken to adequately address any security concerns.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) continues to urge all Filipinos who are still in Syria to seek immediate repatriation as the security situation in the country continues to deteriorate. For assistance they may call the Embassy in Damascus at 963-11-6132626, +963-96-8955057, +963-93-4957926, +963-99-2264145, +963-96-8953340, or +963-95-8903893.
The relatives of Filipinos in Syria may also provide the DFA with up-to-date information regarding their kin’s present location and contact details in Syria. Those who wish to do so may call the Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs (OUMWA) at (02) 834-3240 or 834-4583 or the DFA’s 24-hour Action Center at (02) 834-3333. END
