27 more Pinoys arrive from quake-hit Türkiye
By Raymund Antonio and Raymund Antonio
Twenty-seven Filipinos were repatriated from Turkiye on Saturday, March 18, following the powerful earthquake that struck the country last month.
They arrived safely at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and have travelled back to their homes.
According to a statement from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Sunday, March 19, this is the third batch of overseas Filipinos who went home after the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that caused over 50,000 deaths in Turkiye and Syria.
“The Filipinos were all smiles as they gave thanks to the Philippine Embassy in Ankara, as well as the DFA and the Philippine government,” the Foreign Affairs department said.
Photos released by the DFA showed Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Eduardo Jose De Vega welcoming the repatriates upon arrival at the airport.
Some of the arrivals were wives and children of Turkish nationals.
The DFA has so far repatriated a total of 76 Filipinos from Turkiye.
Out of the 280 Filipinos in Turkiye, almost 160 have decided to stay since some of them are married to Turkish nationals while others have been promised housing and financial assistance by the Turkish government.
“Continued assistance is still being provided by the (Philippine) Embassy (in Ankara) to Filipinos housed in the Embassy shelter,” the DFA said.
“The Embassy and the DFA remain ready, willing, and able to assist Filipinos who were affected by the earthquake,” it added.