PH Embassy in Jordan Sends Off Second Batch of Five Filipinos from the West Bank to the Philippines
Philippine Ambassador to Jordan Wilfredo C. Santos (6th from left), Second Secretary and Consul Angeli A. Payumo (5th from left) and Labor Attaché Armi Evangel N. Peña (5th from right) with Philippine Embassy and MWO Staff during the repatriation of the five Filipinos at the Queen Alia International Airport on 24 November 2023. (Amman PE Photo)
AMMAN 24 November 2023 — Philippine Ambassador to Jordan Wilfredo C. Santos and Labor Attaché Armi Evangel N. Peña sent off the second batch of five Filipinos from the West Bank on 23 November 2023 at Queen Alia International Airport in Amman. They are scheduled to arrive home in the Philippines on 24 November 2023.
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza has led to a corresponding increase in the level of violence in the West Bank and made the five Filipinos, consisting of two OFWs and a family of three, decide to return to the Philippines. The Philippine Embassy in Amman made appropriate representations with the authorities to facilitate their entry from the West Bank to Jordan.
On 22 November 2023, Ambassador Santos, Consul Angeli Payumo and other Philippine Embassy officials, including Labor Attaché Peña and personnel of the Migrant Workers’ Office (MWO) in Jordan personally welcomed the 5 Filipinos at the King Hussein Border Crossing, the border of the West Bank and Jordan. The transportation and hotel accommodation costs as well as the tickets for the three resident Filipinos were shouldered by the Department of Foreign Affairs, and the tickets for the two OFWs were covered by the Department of Migrant Workers.
To date, a total of 115 Filipino nationals remain in the West Bank, including nine nuns, 21 Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and 85 resident Filipinos.
Today’s repatriation of Filipino nationals from the West Bank is the second undertaken by the Philippine Embassy in Amman, which has concurrent jurisdiction in the State of Palestine. The first batch of two Filipino workers from the West Bank were repatriated on 08 November 2023, following the raising of Alert Level 2 in the West Bank in October.
Filipinos in the West Bank who need assistance may contact the Philippine Embassy through its ATN Hotlines at +962 77 798 8818, +962 77 907 7778, +962 77 721 9000, +962 77 907 7775 and +962 6 590 1730 for consular assistance. END
Philippine Ambassador to Jordan Wilfredo C. Santos, Second Secretary and Consul Angeli A. Payumo, and Labor Attaché Armi Evangel N. Peña with Philippine Embassy and MWO Staff during the repatriation of the five Filipinos at the Queen Alia International Airport on 24 November 2023. (Amman PE Photo)
Philippine Ambassador to Jordan Wilfredo C. Santos in a discussion with some of the repatriates. (Amman PE Photo)
For more information, visit www.ammanpe.dfa.gov.ph, www.philembassy-amman.net or https://www.facebook.com/ammanpe.