15 July 2014 - The Philippine Embassies in Beirut and Damascus successfully repatriated another batch of 33 Filipinos from Syria on July 9 with the support of the International Organization for Migration, which provided their airfare, land transportation and meals.
Consul Dennis John Briones and Labor Attaché Bulyok Nilong, along with IOM personnel, assisted the Filipino repatriates at the Masna’a border, while another Embassy team composed of Vice Consul Rona Beth Goce and Consular Assistant Geranfel Abrillo were at the Rafic Hariri International Airport in Beirut to assist them with airline and immigration procedures. During the same-day cross-border operations, the repatriates were directly escorted to the Rafic Hariri International Airport in Beirut after undergoing immigration entry procedures at the Masna’a border.
The repatriates arrived in Manila on July 10 at 10:10 P.M., via Emirates flight EK 334.
This 53rd cross-border operation involving 33 Filipinos brought to 2,391 the total number of Filipinos repatriated from Syria via the Rafic Hariri International Airport in Beirut since the first cross-border operations began on 12 December 2012. This batch of repatriates brought the total number of Filipinos repatriated from Syria to 5,422. END