Balanga Bishop Ruperto C. Santos, vice chairman of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines -Episcopal Commission on Migrants and Itinerant people (CBCP-ECMI) expressed his support for the swift and safe repatriation of overseas Filipino workers in Sri Lanka.
Santos cited government efforts through the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to assist Filipino migrant workers in Sri Lanka who wants to go back to the country.
“For their safety and protection, we support the repatriation of our Filipino migrants in Sri Lanka. In these difficult and uncertain times, we appeal to our OFWs to heed the call of the government to go back home to the Philippines for their own welfare and well-being,” the Church leader said.
The prelate, likewise, appealed to Filipino migrants in Sri Lanka to remain vigilant and to follow the guidelines given by the Philippine Embassy.
“Let us pray for peace in Sri Lanka, that with strength and unity, they may be able to surpass the crisis and attain the way to peace and prosperity,” said Bishop Santos.
The DFA said, there are about 700 OFWs and migrant Filipinos in Sri Lanka. More than 100 have expressed willingness to be repatriated to the Philippines.
The Sri Lankan economic crisis is an ongoing crisis in the island-state that started in 2019. It is the country's worst economic crisis since its independence in 1948. The crisis has led to unprecedented levels of inflation, near-depletion of foreign exchange reserves, shortages of medical supplies, and an increase in prices of essential commodities.