POEA coordinating with DFA, embassy over possible Ukraine OFW repatriations

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) on Tuesday said it was closely coordinating with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and Philippine Embassy in Ukraine for possible overseas Filipino worker (OFW) repatriations amid reports of an imminent Russian invasion.

POEA Deputy Administrator Bong Plan said the agency was waiting for official advice from the DFA and embassy, based on which they would issue appropriate mandatory or voluntary repatriations among Ukraine OFWs.

“We are closely coordinating with the DFA kasi sila po nakatingin on the ground whatever advices po ang binibigay sa amin dun po kami gumagawa ng mga alert levels para sa amin dito,” Plan said in an interview with GMA’s Balitanghali.

(We are closely coordinating with the DFA because they are on the ground. Whatever advice is given us, that will be the basis of our alert level.)

“So far we are just awaiting official communication from the DFA, from our embassy there, yung may malapit na embassy na humahawak sa Ukraine... Then we will issue the appropriate... mandatory or voluntary repatriations of our OFWs,” he said.

(We are just waiting for the official communication from the DFA, from our embassy there in Ukraine... Then we will issue the appropriate measures whether it is mandatory or voluntary repatriations of our OFWs.)

The Philippine Embassy in Warsaw earlier said it was monitoring at least 380 Filipino nationals living in Ukraine, most of whom are in Kyiv and its environs and are therefore located far from the eastern border near Russia.

Meanwhile, the POEA official advised Filipinos in Ukraine to immediately contact the nearest embassy for untoward incidents, assistance, and repatriation.

“Get yung contact details po ng pinakamalapit na embahada sa Ukraine para at least kung may problema pwede kaagad kayo ma-repatriate at the same time makahingi po kayo ng assistance na kailangan niyo,” Plan added.

(Get the contact details of the Philippine Embassy nearest Ukraine so that, if there is a problem, you can be repatriated immediately and at the same time you can ask for the assistance you need.)

Jake Sullivan, US President Joe Biden's national security adviser noted "signs of Russian escalation, including new forces arriving at the Ukrainian border," adding that a major assault could be launched “during the Olympics,” slated to end on Feb. 20.

The DFA said that the Philippine Embassy was in touch with the Filipinos in Ukraine in coordination with the Honorary Consulate General in Kyiv. — Richa Noriega/DVM, GMA News