The Philippines is working on the repatriation of more Filipinos in Afghanistan after the first batch of 32 evacuees fled the country while 19 others are set to leave immediately.
In his virtual presser, Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is making arrangements for the Filipinos still left in Kabul.
Taliban insurgents took hold of the capital city after its goverment collapsed and Western-backed President Ashraf Ghani left the war-torn country on Sunday, August 15.
READ: Taliban in control of Afghanistan, panic in Kabul
The Palace official quoted the DFA in saying that 32 Filipinos were already evacuated and are now in Doha, Qatar waiting for their flights back to the Philippines.
Another group of 19 Filipinos are also set to be repatriated soon following the takeover of Taliban forces.
There are an estimated 130 Filipinos living in the south-central Asian nation.
“The repatriations were done by the employers and DFA. They are currently looking for others who would be repatriated apart from them,” Roque said in Filipino.
READ: PH to stop deployment, prevent trafficking of Filipinos in Afghanistan
The agency issued Alert Level 4, the highest alert status, over Afghanistan on Sunday due to the "worsening security situation" there.
Under Alert Level 4, the Philippine government undertakes the mandatory evacuation of all Filipinos in the area.