The first batch of Filipinos evacuating from Sri Lanka amid the ongoing economic crisis there has arrived in the Philippines, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced on Sunday, July 31.
According to the DFA, 13 distressed Filipinos, composed of six women, two men, and five minors, were repatriated on Saturday, July 30.
The repatriates were welcomed upon their arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) aboard a commercial flight from Colombo.
They were part of the 114 Filipinos who have signified their intention to return home.
“The DFA continues to assist all distressed Filipinos overseas, including undocumented contract workers. We are coordinating with the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and other concerned agencies during this transition period, as the DMW sets up its Migrant Workers Offices abroad,” said DFA acting Undersecretary Eduardo Jose de Vega in a statement.
"The DFA shall always stand ready to assist in repatriating distressed Filipinos, true to our mandate of being guardians of the welfare of our overseas kababayan," he added.
READ: DFA restricts new deployment of OFWs to Sri Lanka
It was the Foreign Affairs department that shouldered the cost of the airline tickets of the repatriated Filipinos.
The DFA said it plans to complete the repatriation of 114 Filipinos by the second week of August.
At the same time, the department also gave assurance that the distribution of financial assistance is underway.
The ongoing protest brought by the worsening economic crisis has triggered the repatriation of Filipinos from Sri Lanka, where the DFA raised an Alert Level 2, which means no new deployment of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) will be allowed.
Under Alert Level 2, also called a Restriction Phase, only OFWs with existing contracts will be allowed to go in Sri Lanka.