An official of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Friday (Feb. 25) that 37 Filipinos aboard an embassy-rented bus were transported from Kyiv in Ukraine to Lviv before they head to Poland through a seven-hour trip.
In the Laging Handa briefing, DFA Undersecretary Sarah Lou Arriola thanked Poland for giving “humanitarian corridor for allowing our people to cross.”
“So far, ang ating feedback is Poland pa lang ang tumatanggap na pumasok sila sa border nila. Pero we will update you for countries surrounding Ukraine,” she said.
Four of the 37 Filipinos were set to return to the Philippines on Thursday (Feb. 24) but were hampered by airport closures, prompting them to resort to land travel to evacuate.
In a tweet, DFA Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said he will go to Poland to monitor the safe border crossing of Filipinos.
The DFA earlier said that they have accounted for 181 Filipinos in Ukraine.
“For the rest of the Filipinos, we are begging them – please inform the embassy through their contact numbers so that we know how to help you or how to reach out to you,” Arriola appealed.
The official assured that the country’s honorary consulate in Kyiv will remain open to provide assistance to Filipinos through repatriation, care packages, and cash aid.
So far, only six Filipinos have been repatriated to the Philippines amid the escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine.
Peaceful settlement
In a statement, the DFA called on the international community to reaffirm its commitment to disputes’ peaceful settlement and to “to maintain international peace and security and avert a humanitarian crisis.”
“We recall the UN General Assembly’s adoption of the Manila Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of International Disputes which provides the legal framework for recourse to diplomacy, dialogue and rule of law,” it stated.
“In the present crisis, where the situation is not irreversible and there is no compelling reason for any of the protagonists to resort to hostile actions, turning to the Manila Declaration is the pragmatic and decent way to go,” it added. – Report from Naomi Tiburcio/AG-rir
