DFA to repatriate 115 Filipinos in Sri Lanka before end July

MANILA, Philippines, July 23 ------ The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is contemplating repatriating around 115 Filipinos in Sri Lanka before the end of the month amid the economic crisis there.

DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Eduardo de Vega said that Filipinos are burdened in Sri Lanka, thus, seeking to return to the Philippines. “Sa 700 na Pilipino doon, may lampas 100, 115 more or less ngayon, ang nagparinig na na gustong makauwi ng Pilipinas dahil mahirap ang buhay, ‘yung situation,” he said on TeleRadyo’s Sakto. “Ang gusto namin bago matapos ang July may nakauwi na dapat,” he went on. De Vega said that funding will be provided for Filipinos awaiting repatriation to buy their commercial flight tickets back to the Philippines.

Arranging a sweeper flight for repatriation would be difficult because of the situation in Sri Lanka, according to de Vega. “Ang gagawin na lang namin, kukuha kami ng funding para sa commercial na lang kasi may flight pa naman,” he said. De Vega assured those awaiting repatriation that they will not become displaced workers in the Philippines as the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) has a reintegration program. “Every time may nire-repatriate na Pilipino, meron silang napupuntahan right away. Minsan, right away galing airport, dinadala sila sa OWWA sa kanilang reintegration program,” the DFA official pointed out.

In April, Sri Lanka declared a state of emergency due to its worst economic crisis. The DFA has placed Sri Lanka under Alert Level 2 as economic woes persist in the South Asian country.

Source: inquirer.net