Latest batch of OFWs arrives from Syria

More than 30 distressed overseas Filipino workers finally ended their ordeal in troubled Syria as they arrived home Tuesday afternoon. At least 37 OFWs arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport past 4 p.m. Tuesday, radio dzBB reported early Wednesday. The Department of Foreign Affairs said the returning batch included 37 female OFWs. It said 20 of these Filipinos were overstaying workers who were detained in Kaffarseuseh while their papers were being processed by the Philippine Embassy team. The other 17 repatriates were distressed Filipino women who were temporarily sheltered at the Embassy’s halfway house while Philippine officials negotiated with their employers and with Syrian authorities for their exit visas. Six of the Filipino repatriates were from Homs while one was from Hama and another one was from Daraa. "These governorates are currently identified as conflict-stricken areas in Syria," the Official Gazette said. The arrival of the latest batch brought to 913 the number of Filipinos repatriated by the Embassy from Syria since March 2011. Last Sunday, DFA Secretary Albert del Rosario deployed to Syria a Rapid Response Team composed of DFA, Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and Philippine National Police (PNP) personnel to help out in the repatriation of OFWs in conflict areas especially in Homs. “Based on new developments in Homs, we may need to go one step further and resort to strategy of extraction. For this, we will activate our Rapid Response Team. So rather than reduce the operating teams to help out our distressed nationals, we are expanding to do what is necessary,” del Rosario said. The DFA raised crisis alert level 4 in Syria last December 22, and has since asked Filipinos there to go home in light of the escalating tensions there. Under crisis alert level 4, mandatory repatriation at Philippine government’s expense will be implemented. — LBG, GMA News