03 June 2014 - The Philippine Embassy, in coordination with/assisted by the Lebanese Immigration (General Security), successfully repatriated to the Philippines on May 27, a total of 36 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from Lebanon. This group of repatriates is composed of 26 distressed nationals sheltered at the Embassy’s Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Resource Center (MWOFRC), five (5) OFWs illegally staying and residing in Lebanon on their own, 4 distressed nationals sheltered at the Caritas Lebanon Migrants Center (CLMC) and a detainee at the General Security,.

The repatriation of these 36 OFWs was made possible through the strong representations made by the Embassy with the General Security for the waiver of immigration penalties and the expeditious resolution of the cases that made possible the early issuance of their exit clearances. The airfare of 31 OFWs were provided through the Assistance-to-Nationals (ATN) Fund of the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs, while the other 5 shouldered the cost of their airline tickets.

Philippine Ambassador to Lebanon Leah M. Basinang-Ruiz bid the repatriates farewell and wished them a safe travel to the Philippines and a happy reunion with their respective families.

The Embassy’s ATN Section, along with the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) and Overseas Workers Welfare Office (OWWA), is continuously working to facilitate the repatriation of the remaining OFWs sheltered at the Embassy shelter. END