08 July 2015 - Through the joint effort of the Philippine Embassy in Damascus and Philippine Embassy in Beirut, twenty-eight (28) overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from Syria who availed of the government’s Mandatory Repatriation Program (MRP) arrived in Manila today at 11:00 a.m. at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on board Gulf Air flight GF1540.

The 28 OFWs previously resided in many parts of Syria such as Damascus, Aleppo, Hama, Lattakia and Tartous before deciding to avail of the MRP and seeking shelter at the Philippine Embassy in Damascus’ Halfway Quarters.

The repatriates, along with the officers and staff of the Philippine Embassy in Damascus, travelled by land on July  07 from Damascus to Lebanon’s Masna’a border where they were assisted by officers and staff from the Philippine Embassy in Beirut. The OFWs underwent medical check-up and pre-departure briefing prior to their travel to Manila.

With this most recent repatriation effort, a total of 5,671 Filipinos have been repatriated from Syria since the unrest started in 2011. Of this figure, 2,625 were repatriated through Lebanon.

Meanwhile, with the Alert Level 4 in place in Syria and the continued implementation of the MRP, the Philippine Embassy in Damascus spares no effort in convincing Filipinos to avail of this repatriation program. The Embassy invites the next-of-kin of OFWs still in Syria to get in touch with the Embassy at the following contact details:

Mobile: 00963-11-6132626; 00963-949155557; 00963-934957926;

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.m 

The next-of-kin of Filipinos still in Syria are also encouraged to provide information of their family member’s whereabouts so that immediate assistance can be extended to them.

The Philippine Embassy in Damascus likewise continuously coordinates with the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates for the issuance of exit visas for OFWs who are currently sheltered at the Halfway Quarters. END