MANILA, Philippines — As the Department of Migrant Workers assists over 340 Filipinos on their way to Cairo in Egypt, the department is also working with other agencies back home to help the students who evacuated Sudan.
The DMW said it is collaborating with the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos and the Department of Social Welfare and Development, along with the Department of Foreign Affairs to help out with the overall reintegration and assistance programs for displaced overseas Filipino workers and other Filipinos who left Sudan, such as the students, due to the clashes.
Related Stories
“The Islamic students requested for help. Since their studies were affected, they asked if they can be given a chance to continue their studies, while the others want to have access to livelihood and employment opportunities so we will work that out with the concerned agencies,” Migrant Workers Secretary Susan “Toots” Ople said in a virtual press briefing on Sunday.
Ople is in currently in Egypt to oversee the evacuation of Filipinos who left Sudan amid the ceasefire of clashes between the forces of army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his former number two Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, who commands the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The Philippines has contracted seven additional buses to bring over 340 Filipinos to Cairo from the Argeen Land Port Authority at the Sudan-Egypt border.
Migrant Workers Secretary Susan Ople shares this image of buses (7 in all) taking off from the Argeen Land Port Authority facility inside Egypt. There are 340 Filipinos, mostly OFWs, onboard this convoy which is now on its way to Cairo, due to arrive this afternoon, 30 April '23 pic.twitter.com/7d3JaQxQxL
— Department of Migrant Workers - Philippines (@DMWPHL) April 30, 2023
Ople said the evacuees will be staying in a hotel in Cairo before flying back home. The DMW earlier said it will be providing $200 worth of financial aid to displaced overseas Filipino workers crossing the border and will help with job placements.
A group of OFWs from the 7-bus convoy bound for Cairo take a much needed travel stop at Luxor. Upon arrival in Cairo they will be billeted in 4 hotels where they will await their transit to the Philippines. (Photo courtesy of DMW Secretary Susan Ople)@pcogovph @PTVph @PIADesk pic.twitter.com/tuB5ClIV6p
— Department of Migrant Workers - Philippines (@DMWPHL) April 30, 2023
There are 116 more Filipinos on their way from Khartoum in Sudan, while the DFA is also currently assisting 14 other Filipinos at the border as they have no valid travel documents.
On Saturday, the DFA and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration welcomed back home 17 Filipinos who were evacuated from Sudan.