Six Filipinos were repatriated to the country from Ukraine on Sunday, Feb. 27, while 13 evacuees were welcomed by Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. at the Rava-Ruska-Hrebenne Border Crossing Station in Poland as Russia's invasion of the former Soviet republic continues.
In a tweet, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs Sarah Lou Ysmael Arriola said that as of 1:22 p.m. on Sunday, six Filipinos were already repatriated to the Philippines while 13 others in Warsaw, Poland, five in Moldova, and four in Lviv, Ukraine are still awaiting repatriation.
Locsin met the evacuees at the border early Sunday, Feb. 27, Manila time. They were accompanied by Philippine Ambassador to Poland Leah Basinang-Ruiz, who is overseeing the government’s efforts to repatriate Filipinos in Ukraine.
In a video uploaded on Twitter by the DFA, Locsin can be seen boarding the bus transporting the evacuees and greeting them.
"At 1250H local time, Secretary Locsin welcomed the evacuees on board the bus after a five-hour wait. Food and bottled water were distributed to the evacuees," the DFA said.
Secretary @teddyboylocsin welcomes the evacuees onboard the bus after a five-hour wait. Food and bottled water were distributed to the evacuees. Read the full story here: https://t.co/0ncEcD3GPD pic.twitter.com/sFyoQtb19R
— DFA Philippines (@DFAPHL) February 27, 2022
According to the DFA, Locsin arrived in Poland on Saturday after attending the European Union (EU) Ministerial Forum for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific in Paris to help welcome the first group of Filipino evacuees.
The Secretary, accompanied by Assistant Secretary for European Affairs Jaime Victor Ledda, was briefed by Embassy officials upon his arrival.
The evacuation of affected Filipinos to Poland is part of the DFA’s efforts to ensure the immediate safety of Filipinos in Ukraine amidst the conflict.
"We are on high-alert 24/7 to ensure that Filipinos are safe in this conflict," Locsin said.
"Our Embassies in Poland and Hungary have been working hard these past days to account for each Filipino in Ukraine and to repatriate them as soon as possible. Our people only need to ask, and we will get them home safe," he added.
Meanwhile, the DFA continues to enjoin Filipinos in Ukraine to exercise caution and remain vigilant, and to immediately contact the Philippine Embassy in Lviv or the Consulate General in Kyiv should they require any assistance.
Filipinos in Ukraine who wish to be repatriated may get in touch with the Philippine Embassy in Warsaw through the following contact details:
- Email: [email protected]
- Emergency Hotline: +48 604 357 396
- Office Mobile Number: +48 694 491 663
Those who need repatriation assistance near the borders at Moldova and Romania may reach the Philippine Embassy in Budapest through the following contact details:
Hungary
- Budapest PE Emergency Hotline: +36 30 202 1760
- Assistance-To-Nationals Officer: +36 30 074 5656 (mobile); +63 966 340 4725 (Viber)
Moldova
- Consul Victor Gaina
- Mobile number and WhatsApp: +37369870870
- Email addresses: [email protected]; [email protected]