304 more Filipinos set to return from Sudan over next few days

The repatriation of Filipinos from war-torn Sudan continues, with more than 300 individuals set to fly back to the Philippines in the next few days.

According to JP Soriano’s report on “24 Oras” on Tuesday, a total of 304 Filipinos who have crossed the border from Sudan to Egypt are set to be repatriated starting May 2, 2023. At least 104 Filipinos, meanwhile, have yet to finish the border clearance processes and enter Cairo.

“Doon sa Argen border...sa kabilang border, there’s about 20. I think we’re confident within the next 24 hours nakapasok na sa Cairo 'yang mga 'yan,” said Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega. “Help everybody to leave Sudan ke may paperless o wala.”

(There are about 20 on the Argen border.  I think we’re confident they can enter Cairo within the next 24 hours…Help everybody to leave Sudan whether they have papers or not.)

Around 200 Filipinos are still stranded in Sudan, according to the DFA. They are overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) whose passports were hidden by their employers, or those who do not want to leave Sudan and expressed intention to work in other provinces.

“Ang policy of the government is we’re gonna help you, we are gonna take you out of the country. Kasi if we pay government money, bibigyan sila ng bus ride to another city, parang pinahintulutan natin to remain in Sudan when the clear policy of the government and the President is to leave Sudan,” said de Vega.

(The government’s policy is to help them get out of the country. If we use government money to provide them with bus rides to other cities, it would seem like we’re allowing them to stay in Sudan when the clear policy of the government and the President is for them to leave.)

Meanwhile, several Filipinos recall the horrors they encountered during the violent conflict.

“Naghagis sila ng bomba, bale two kilometers 'yun away sa area namin. Pero yung mga shellings po as in a few meters away kung saan kami andun so 'yung nangyari yung ano na yon...'yumanig 'yung building natin tapos aka mo katapusan mo na,” an OFW said.

(They threw bombs at least two kilometers from our area. The shellings were just a few meters away so our building shook. We thought it would be our end.)

The first batch of repatriates arrived in the country on Saturday. Earlier, the Department of Migrant Workers said over 150 OFWs are set to return home on Thursday. — Sundy Locus/BM, GMA Integrated News