DFA: 32 more Pinoys from Egypt home by Wednesday

Thirty-two Filipino repatriates from Egypt are scheduled to arrive in Manila on Wednesday, composing the second batch of Filipinos who flee from the violence-stricken nation after Sunday's 26. According to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the 32 will depart from Cairo at 12:15 p.m. (6:15 p.m. in Manila) and arrive at about 3:15 p.m. (9:15 p.m.) Wednesday. “These Filipinos—15 females, nine minors and eight males—composed the second batch of repatriates who availed of the voluntary repatriation program by the Embassy and the Department of Foreign Affairs," the DFA said in a news release on its website. Like the first batch, the Philippine Embassy helped arrange for the repatriates’ flights from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) offices in Cairo, the DFA said, adding that Filipino community organizations in Egypt were also active in assisting the repatriates. Before leaving for the airport, the repatriates will assemble at the Embassy chancery where they will undergo a quick medical checkup, be briefed on the flight details, and given food for lunch and snacks. “Just like the first batch, a certification will be issued to each of the repatriates indicating that they are part of the second batch of repatriates and which certification they may use when they transact business with the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency (POEA) and/or the Egyptian Embassy in the Philippines," the DFA said. It said the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) will provide post-trauma debriefing and counseling as well as repatriation packages for the repatriates. Meanwhile, the DFA said the Philippine Embassy reported that there have been no reports of attacks targeting foreigners in the ongoing protest actions in Egypt aimed at ending the decades-old rule of President Hosni Mubarak. “In their assessment, there is no need for mandatory evacuation of Filipino community members at this time," it said. It said there are signs of normalization on the streets of Cairo — the heavy traffic is back, most stores are open, banks are open, the neighborhood watch are starting to be dismantled, and the curfew hours has been shortened from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. Earlier, the DFA issued a travel advisory to Egypt urging Filipinos who have plans to proceed to Egypt to defer non-essential and non-urgent travels, notably for tourism purposes, until the security situation has stabilized. It also mobilized its offices in Manila and is closely monitoring developments with other government agencies. The DFA has set up a 24-hour hotline number at the DFA-Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs (DFA-OUMWA) for relatives of Filipinos in Egypt who would like to inquire about their relatives. The DFA-OUMWA hotline number is 834-4580. — KBK, GMA News