DFA: 22 repatriated Pinoy workers from Syria due home Wednesday

At least 22 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) repatriated from conflict-torn Syria are due to return to the Philippines on Wednesday, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Tuesday.   The DFA said the arrival of the Filipino workers is expected amid the April 10 ceasefire deadline set by the Syrian Government and the United Nations (UN) Special Envoy Kofi Annan.   In a news release, the DFA said the 22 female OFWs are to arrive in Manila Wednesday on board the following flights:  

• five OFWs aboard Emirates Airlines EK 332, 3:55 p.m.
• 12 OFWs aboard Philippine Airlines PR 731, 6:20 p.m.
• five OFWs aboard Emirates Airlines EK 334, 9:55 p.m.

  "This brings the total number of repatriates to 1,243 as of date," the DFA said.   Most of the repatriates are from Damascus who sought refuge at the Embassy's halfway house while Embassy officials negotiated with their employers and Syrian authorities for the issuance of exit visas.   The DFA said the plane tickets of the latest batch of repatriates were paid for by the International Organization for Migration.   "We are hoping that the UN-brokered ceasefire agreement will be honored by all parties. Nevertheless, we intend to continue with the mandatory repatriation of Filipinos while we assess the security situation in Syria," DFA spokesman Raul Hernandez said.   Syria is under Alert level 4, which requires the mandatory evacuation of all Filipinos in Syria.   The DFA continues to urge the next-of-kin OFWs in Syria to provide the Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers' Affairs (DFA-OUMWA) with information about their relatives by calling (02) 834-3245 or (02) 834-3240. - VVP, GMA News