02 October 2014 - The Philippine Embassies in Beirut and in Damascus successfully repatriated 20 Filipinos from Syria via Lebanon on September 17 with the support of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), which provided their airfare, land transportation and meals.
During the same-day cross-border operation, Philippine Embassy in Beirut Consul Dennis John Briones and Collecting Officer Alberto Bansil, along with IOM personnel, assisted the Filipino repatriates as they underwent immigration entry procedures at the Masna’a border. They were then escorted straight to the Rafik Hariri International Airport in Beirut to take their flight to Manila where they were scheduled to arrive on September 18, at 4:35 P.M., via Emirates flight EK 332.
This 55th cross-border operation brought to 2,411 the total number of Filipinos evacuated from Syria via Lebanon since the first one took place last December 12, 2012. END