DFA: Arrangements being made for Pinoys who want to flee Egypt

The Philippine government has offered voluntary repatriation for Filipinos in Egypt who want to escape the violent anti-government protests there. In a statement Tuesday, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said it has directed the Philippine Embassy in Cairo to make immediate arrangements for the repatriation of Filipinos who wish to come home from Egypt or move to safer places. Those who wish to stay, on the other hand, were advised to stay indoors, steer clear of public places particularly sites of mass protests, and to avoid involvement in political actions. Of the over 6,000 Filipinos currently in Egypt, about 3,000 are working as domestic helpers, 1,800 are Muslim scholars, while about 1,000 are permanent residents married to Egyptians. The DFA said it is closely monitoring the planned million-strong protest march in Cairo by Egyptians demanding the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak, who has been in power for three decades. The DFA said it has received 55 calls at its hotline number at the Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs (OUMWA) from Filipinos who have relatives in Egypt asking the department to check on their situation. “When the DFA-OUMWA called the Egypt-based Filipino, they said that they are safe. They also said that there is no need to repatriate them back to the Philippines as of yet, but are ready to be moved to a safe area in Egypt if needed," it said. The DFA said it has made arrangements with third countries like Israel, Libya and Jordan to allow the transit of Filipinos through their borders in the event of evacuation. - KBK, GMANews.TV