03 September 2013 – In view of critical developments in Syria, the Philippine Embassy in Damascus brought to the Masna’a border last August 30 a total of 68 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) sheltered at the Embassy who were granted exit visas by the Syrian Government and turned them over to the Philippine Embassy in Lebanon.
The OFWs are now staying at the Caritas Lebanon Migrant Centre (CLMC). They are scheduled to depart for the Philippines in two groups within the week.
The first group composed of 23 OFWs will arrive in Manila on September 05 at 10:55 a.m. via Gulf Air flight GF 154. The remaining 45 OFWs will arrive at 04:20 p.m. the following day, September 06, on board Qatar Airways flight QR 646.
Upon the second group’s arrival, the number of Filipinos repatriated from Syria will reach 4,636.
Both Embassies are exerting all efforts, under the leadership of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Rafael E. Seguis, to transfer to Lebanon other OFWs who are sheltered at the Embassy in Damascus. Upon orders of Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. del Rosario, Undersecretary Seguis is currently in Syria to facilitate the immediate repatriation of the remaining OFWs in Syria and their return to their loved ones in the Philippines.
The Philippine Embassy in Beirut fielded a Border Team, composed of Vice Consul Dennis John Briones and Assistance-to-Nationals (ATN) officer Dexter Macaraeg, who was accompanied and assisted by CLMC personnel, to receive this batch of 68 OFWs from the officers and staff of the Embassy in Damascus and facilitate their entry into Lebanon through the Masna’a border crossing.
Upon arrival of the three buses containing the 68 repatriates at the CLMC shelter in Lebanon at around 8:30 p.m., they were turned over to the Beirut PE Shelter Team led by Assistant Labor Attaché Irma Valiente, who was assisted by Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Resource Center (MWOFRC) Houseparent Gina Murillo as well as by Damascus PE local-hire Alma Balili, who traveled with the repatriates from Damascus.
Philippine Ambassador to Lebanon Leah Basinang-Ruiz and her spouse, Mr. Ricardo Ruiz, were on hand at the Caritas shelter to welcome the 68 OFWs upon arrival. In her brief remarks to the repatriates, Ambassador Ruiz emphasized that the Philippine government’s primary and immediate aim is to put them out of harm’s way and assured them that the Embassy in Beirut would be exerting all efforts to speedily repatriate them from Lebanon to the Philippines.
Ambassador Ruiz also informed the group that the shelter where they are being temporarily housed belongs to CLMC, which contains all the facilities to ensure that their brief stay would be homey and comfortable. She also committed to convey their appreciation to Caritas officials, Eng. Kamal Sioufi, President of the CLMC Board Committee, and Ms. Najla Chahda, CLMC Director, who readily made the shelter available for the use of the Filipino repatriates free of charge in line with the CLMC’s commitment to assist the Embassy in the implementation of its contingency plan.
Select personnel of the Philippine Embassy in Beirut have been assigned to stay in and manage the shelter 24/7 on a rotating basis until all of the OFWs have left Lebanon. Also staying at the Caritas shelter 24/7 and assisting the Beirut PE Shelter Team is one staff from Damascus PE, as well as one Caritas personnel.
This is the 29th cross-border operation undertaken by the Philippine Embassies in Beirut and Damascus since it started in December 2012. END