02 October 2013 – Another group of 11 Filipinos from Syria were repatriated last September 30 via the Rafik Hariri International Airport in Lebanon. The Philippine Embassies in Syria and Lebanon once again joined hands to ensure this successful repatriation in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), which provided the airline tickets, meals and transportation of the repatriates from Damascus to Beirut.
The 35th cross-border operation commenced in the afternoon of Sunday, September 29, when Vice Consul Dennis John Briones and Assistance-to-Nationals (ATN) Officer Dexter Macaraig with Embassy driver Mr. Mar Mancenido received the 11 Filipinos from the Philippine Embassy in Damascus and IOM-Damascus. The group was assisted at the Lebanese immigration in Masna’a by the Embassy team as well as IOM-Beirut personnel. After clearing immigration formalities, Vice Consul Briones and ATN officer Macaraeg escorted the group to the Philippine Embassy in Beirut, where the repatriates were received by the Embassy shelter team composed of Cultural Officer Gladys Perey, Collecting Officer Lilia Pangilinan, ATN Officer Junaid Ali and Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Resource Center (MWOFRC) Houseparent Gina Murillo. The team took turns in taking care of the 11 OFWs during their overnight stay at the Embassy.
Before proceeding to the airport in the morning of Monday, September 30, Philippine Ambassador to Lebanon Leah M. Basinang-Ruiz met the repatriates at the Embassy showroom to convey to them her wishes for their safe journey and return home to their families in the Philippines. Vice Consul Rona Beth Goce, Protocol Officer Antonio Cruz and POLO/OWWA staff/driver Joselito Sunga escorted the repatriates to the airport, where they were also assisted in undergoing airport formalities. At 11:50 A.M., all the 11 Filipinos left via Emirates flight EK 958. They arrived in Manila on October 01.
With the departure of this group of 11 Filipinos, a total of 4,869 Filipinos have been brought home from Syria. Of that number, 1,846 were repatriated through Lebanon. END