By Pearl Gumapos
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Tuesday (March 1) said the 13 set for repatriation from Ukraine are on their way to the Philippines.
“Sila po ngayon ay en route na to the Philippines. Kahapon naihatid namin sila sa airport, 13 po sila. Ito ang pangalawang batch namin. Ngayon [ay] masayang-masaya sila. They’re really looking forward to going home and being reunited with their families,” Philippine Ambassador to Poland Leah Basinang-Ruiz said during the Laging Handa public briefing.
“Ito iyong second group namin na talagang sinalubong ni [DFA] Sec.[Teodoro] Locsin dito sa border sa Poland,” she added.
Nineteen Filipinos have been repatriated, including the 13 who are en route to the Philippines.
The third batch of Filipino repatriates are expected to travel from Lviv to Warsaw this Wednesday.
“Naka-ready na po sila. En route na sila papuntang Lviv. Inihahanda na namin ang pangatlong batch na siguro sa Wednesday ay tutulak naman sila from Lviv to Warsaw. Nakahanda na rin ang accomodation natin doon sa Warsaw. At siyempre i-book namin sila ng kanilang flight,” Ruiz said.
“Mag-aabiso kami sa DFA, OWWA [Overseas Workers Welfare Administration] kung ilan talaga ang kasama. Kasi minsan, may mga humahabol talaga, may nakakahabol sa aming schedule na pagtulak from land travel from Lviv to Warsaw,” she added.
Meanwhile, the DFA said they have accounted for 215 Filipinos who are seeking assistance from the government.
“We are always in contact with them. Iyon ang aming gustong ipa-assure sa ating mga kababayan,” the ambassador said. –ag
Watch the full interview here:
