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MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Tuesday
it had directed the Philippine Embassy in Cairo to make immediate
arrangements for the repatriation of Filipinos in protest-wracked Egypt
who wish to come home.
The DFA said it was also closely
monitoring the situation, especially with the planned protest march
scheduled Tuesday in Cairo. It reiterated its advice to the Filipinos to
steer clear of public places, especially sites of mass protest.
The DFA has received 55 calls at its hotline number at the Office of
the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs (OUMWA) from Filipinos
who have relatives in Egypt to check on their situation.
When
the DFA-OUMWA called the Egypt-based Filipinos, they said that they were
safe. They also said that there was no need to repatriate them back to
the Philippines as of yet, but that they were ready to be moved to a
safe area in Egypt if needed.
The Embassy was also able to
reach other members of the Filipino community, who mostly said that they
were safe and did not express any need to be repatriated out of Egypt.
The DFA-OUMWA and the Embassy gave the Egypt-based Filipinos the
hotline numbers of the Embassy, which they could call when at risk.
Embassy records showed that there are 6,569 Filipinos in Egypt, most
them living in Cairo and Alexandria. They are far from Tahrir Square,
where the protest actions are concentrated.
Meanwhile, the DFA
also said that it has made arrangements with third countries to allow
the transit of Filipinos through their borders.
In Manila, DFA
officials met with the ambassadors of countries near Egypt and asked
for the safe passage of Filipinos from there.
According to the Embassy, there have been no reports of attacks involving foreigners, including Filipinos.
The Embassy has also beefed up its 20-strong staff. Consul General
Ezzedin Tago, an Arabic-speaking career foreign-service officer of
Filipino and Egyptian lineage has arrived in Cairo from his current
station in Riyadh.
It has also conducted a phone brigade,
which involves calling Filipino community members to check on their
condition and to know their whereabouts. The Embassy hotline was also
distributed to them.
The DFA has set up a 24-hour hotline
number (834-4580) at the DFA-OUMWA for relatives of Filipinos in Egypt
who would like to inquire about their relatives.
original link: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
it had directed the Philippine Embassy in Cairo to make immediate
arrangements for the repatriation of Filipinos in protest-wracked Egypt
who wish to come home.
The DFA said it was also closely
monitoring the situation, especially with the planned protest march
scheduled Tuesday in Cairo. It reiterated its advice to the Filipinos to
steer clear of public places, especially sites of mass protest.
The DFA has received 55 calls at its hotline number at the Office of
the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs (OUMWA) from Filipinos
who have relatives in Egypt to check on their situation.
When
the DFA-OUMWA called the Egypt-based Filipinos, they said that they were
safe. They also said that there was no need to repatriate them back to
the Philippines as of yet, but that they were ready to be moved to a
safe area in Egypt if needed.
The Embassy was also able to
reach other members of the Filipino community, who mostly said that they
were safe and did not express any need to be repatriated out of Egypt.
The DFA-OUMWA and the Embassy gave the Egypt-based Filipinos the
hotline numbers of the Embassy, which they could call when at risk.
Embassy records showed that there are 6,569 Filipinos in Egypt, most
them living in Cairo and Alexandria. They are far from Tahrir Square,
where the protest actions are concentrated.
Meanwhile, the DFA
also said that it has made arrangements with third countries to allow
the transit of Filipinos through their borders.
In Manila, DFA
officials met with the ambassadors of countries near Egypt and asked
for the safe passage of Filipinos from there.
According to the Embassy, there have been no reports of attacks involving foreigners, including Filipinos.
The Embassy has also beefed up its 20-strong staff. Consul General
Ezzedin Tago, an Arabic-speaking career foreign-service officer of
Filipino and Egyptian lineage has arrived in Cairo from his current
station in Riyadh.
It has also conducted a phone brigade,
which involves calling Filipino community members to check on their
condition and to know their whereabouts. The Embassy hotline was also
distributed to them.
The DFA has set up a 24-hour hotline
number (834-4580) at the DFA-OUMWA for relatives of Filipinos in Egypt
who would like to inquire about their relatives.
original link: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]