DFA: 345 OFWs in Syria want to be repatriated

At least 345 overseas Filipino workers in Syria have signified interest to be repatriated, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Wednesday. At a press briefing, DFA spokesman Raul Hernandez said the Philippine Embassy in Damascus is now negotiating with the OFWs’ employers to allow them to leave. "[In] Syria, we have a total of 345 OFWs who have signified to go home to be repatriated. The embassy in Damascus is now still negotiating their employers so their employers would allow them to leave," Hernandez said.

Philippine authorities had raised the alert level in Syria to “3" due to the violence there. Alert level 3 entails voluntary repatriation. Hernandez said that once the OFWs are allowed to leave, they can get their exit visas and “leave cleanly." “And if they are able to do that they can also go back easily and smoothly," he added. Meanwhile, Hernandez reassured families of OFWs in Libya there is enough food and water there to last about a week. — JE, GMA News