Kabayan Party-list Rep. Ron Salo (Facebook)

Noting that time is of the essence, Kabayan Party-list Rep. Ron Salo is prodding authorities to evacuate overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from Sudan.

"I call on the DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) and the DMW (Department of Migrant Workers) to immediately provide the necessary assistance and adopt proactive measures to protect our OFWs in Sudan so they will be safe from the turmoil," said Salo, chairman of the House Committee on Overseas Workers Affairs.

"We can utilize the Assistance to Nationals Fund for their immediate repatriation," he noted.

According to DFA data, there are around 700 OFWs in Sudan. Some of them have been evacuated to Saudi with the assistance of the Saudi government.

"Time is of the essence. We need to evacuate our fellow Filipinos before the country completely submerges into conflict. I trust that the DFA and the DMW are on top of the situation," Salo stressed.

"I also urge the DFA and the DMW to make the necessary linkages with other governments and diplomatic missions that can help us expedite the repatriation of our affected OFWs," he added.

"I am also appealing to our OFWs to be vigilant and to contact and continously coordinate with the Philippine Consulate in Khartoum or the Philippine Embassy in Egypt so they can assist in your repatriation. No Filipino should be left behind," Salo concluded.