Pinoys advised not to travel to Sudan

MANILA, Philippines - Filipinos were advised yesterday against traveling to South Sudan due to the volatile political and security situation.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has issued Crisis Alert Level 3 (Voluntary Repatriation)  in South Sudan.

Under this alert level, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) automatically imposes an absolute deployment ban.

The DFA is closely monitoring the political and security situation in South Sudan.

In December, the DFA raised the crisis alert level for South Sudan from 2 to 3 after rebels seized the capital of a key oil-producing region.

Filipinos in South Sudan are enjoined to seek repatriation assistance from the Philippine embassy in Nairobi, Kenya or the Rapid Response Team when Alert Level 3 is in effect.

Filipinos planning to go to South Sudan are also advised to defer travel regardless of purpose.

An estimated 95 Filipinos are in South Sudan.

Of that number, 23 traveled to Kenya and 15 are now in Uganda.