28 Filipinos coming home from war-torn Syria

MANILA, Philippines - A group of 28 overseas Filipino workers are returning home from Syria on Monday in separate flights amid an ongoing civil war, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.

They join a total of 3,792 repatriates from the area torn with an ongoing civil war inspired by the Arab Spring revolution in 2011.

Two of them took a commercial flight from Damascus. The 26 others, meanwhile, had been transported by the Philippine Embassy from Syrian capital of Damascus crossing through the Masna'a border to Beirut, Lebanon, from where they would fly to Manila.

Opposing Syrian camps have exchanged fires on Sunday, with soldiers launching a massive air strike against the rebels.

DFA spokesperson Raul Hernandez, in a statement, urged relatives of Filipinos still in Syria to immediately provide the agency with their kin's location and contact details through (02) 834-4583.

He said that the overseas Filipinos are advised to seek DFA's help for their repatriation, and may contact the Philippine Embassy in Damascus at 963-11-6132626. - Camille Diola