Trapped OFW in Syria sends SOS

MANILA, Philippines - A Filipino working as a domestic helper in Syria is asking for an immediate evacuation from the war-torn country.

The overseas Filipino worker, 26-year-old Annie Bustamante Belbes of Camarines Sur, sent her mother a text message on Wednesday night asking for help for her repatriation from Damascus to Manila.

The text message read: “Pkontak u ki ate mila agency d2 sbi u f su2duin nla q sa Sunday kc dnig q alis kmi sa webs blik Sat. Sa CP q cia magkontak wg n 2mwag pyag na amo q lalki lng ba2e kontrabida tntngal line ng tel. at ayaw q pag0tin. Ptx u cla sa CP q. dkc cla nagre2ply skin. My pnsbog d2 kotse 15 ptay my mga jetplane nrin d2.”

The worker's mother, Maria Gloria Bustamante, interpreted that Annie wanted a certain Mila from the local government in Pasacao, Camarines Sur to contact the Philippine Embassy in Syria and ask if she could already be repatriated this coming Sunday.

In the text message, the Filipino worker indicated that her male employer has already agreed to her request to leave Syria, but her female employer was trying to prevent this.

She also said in the text message that a car near her location was bombed and 15 people died in the attack.

The girl's mother had also asked for help from Camarine Sur 2nd District Rep. Diosdado Arroyo last March this year.

The congressman said that his office had informed the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) of the situation of Belbes as well as other Filipinos in Syria including Noemi Morada, Rosalie Ronquillo, Janet San Jose, Nerissa Melendez, Venus Paula Quiroz, Zenie Binamira and Andrea Francisco.

He said that except for Belbes, an undocumented Filipino worker in Syria who cannot be located, the rest of the OFWs reported to the DFA who were asking for repatriation had already gone home to the Philippines.

Arroyo said on Thursday they again informed the DFA about the whereabouts of Belbes and the Philippine Embassy in Syria has already located her exact address.

“Let’s cross our fingers she can be home safely and be with her family within the week,” he said.