Over 3700 Filipinos in Syria seeking repatriation

More than 3,700 Filipino workers have expressed their desire to leave Syria in light of increasing violence in the troubled Middle East state, a senior Foreign Affairs official said on Monday. Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Rafael Seguis said 3,735 Filipinos have signed up at the Philippine Embassy in Damascus for repatriation amid escalating tensions in the country. This is the largest number of Filipinos who have sought evacuation since Manila mounted its mandatory repatriation plan in March 2011 due to the conflict between government forces and rebels. But Seguis raised the possibility that a number of Filipinos who have registered for repatriation may back out if tensions subside and if they think they are already out of danger. All expenses are shouldered by the Philippine government, which has so far brought home more than 2,124 Filipino workers, mostly women employed as household workers. Seguis said another batch of 1,493 have already made up their minds to leave Syria and are set to return home in the coming weeks pending completion of documentation requirements and issuance of an exit visa, which is mandatory for all departing foreign workers. Citing embassy records, Seguis said more than 7,000 Filipinos are still Syria, based in the critical areas of Damascus, Homs, Daraa, Aleppo, and Idlib.