PHL eyes Malta, Tunisia as routes for Pinoys leaving Libya

Philippine officials are considering Malta and Tunisia as possible routes in repatriating Filipinos who want to leave Libya amid the threat of mounting violence there. Labor Undersecretary Danilo Cruz said the two options emerged amid information that the border between Libya and Egypt had been closed. "Una ang mag-travel by land to Tunisia or mag-ferry from Benghazi to Malta. Hinihintay namin ano sa dalawang options ang kanilang i-implement (The first option is to travel by land to Tunisia. The second is by ferry from Benghazi City to Malta. We are waiting for what decision will eventually be made)," Cruz, who heads a Labor Department task force helping overseas Filipino workers in Libya, said in an interview on dzBB radio. Huge popular protests in Libya's neighbors Egypt and Tunisia have toppled entrenched leaders, but Muammar Gaddafi remains defiant, stressing he would not be forced out by the rebellion sweeping through his vast oil producing nation of just 7 million people, which stretches from the Mediterranean into the Sahara. Gaddafi's forces have cracked down fiercely on demonstrators demanding an end to his 41-year rule, with fighting spreading to the capital Tripoli after erupting in Libya's oil-producing east last week. Human rights groups said at least 233 people have been killed.

Philippine authorities estimate the number of Filipinos in Libya to be around 30,000. Earlier, Cruz said they are eyeing Egypt as a possible key evacuation point, with the workers proceeding to Egypt from Benghazi so a plane there can bring them home. Now, he said they are planning to charter repatriation flights and mapping out the route the flights will use. "Kinokontak natin ang malaking airline na pwede i-charter at kung saan pwede dumaan (We are contacting a major airline that we can charter for the repatriation. We will also map out the route it will take)," he said. "Pinag-aaralan natin ang safety ng land travel to Tunisia ... Pinaka-safe ngayon ang movement towards the desert (We are also studying the safety of land travel to Tunisia. For now, the safest movement is towards the desert)," he added. The Department of Foreign Affairs had adopted a voluntary repatriation policy where Filipinos who want to go home amid violence in Libya can approach the Philippine embassy. On the other hand, Cruz also advised relatives of Filipino workers in Libya to coordinate with their recruiters in getting in touch with their loved ones, noting the Philippine Embassy's communication lines are irregular. "Very irregular ang communication diyan, kami mismo hindi maka-contact. Kaya ia-advice namin sa kanila mas mainam kontakin nila ang recruitment agency na nag-deploy sa kanilang kamaganak," he said. (Communication lines to the embassy in Libya have been very irregular. Even we cannot make contact. We advice the relatives of the OFWs to contact the recruitment agency that helped deploy their loved ones abroad.) — with a report from Reuters/RSJ, GMA News