MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Foreign Affairs said they are expecting to repatriate more than 70 Filipinos from Sudan, which has been rocked by fighting, by the end of this week.
DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Eduardo de Vega said 646 Filipinos have left Sudan since clashes started in mid-April, although not all of them opted to go home to the Philippines. He said there are around 10 to 20 who evacuated with their employers.
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“There are about 70 Filipinos still in Port of Sudan,” De Vega said in Filipino during an interview with ABS-CBN’s “TeleRadyo” on Tuesday, adding that DFA personnel there have been providing them with food and water.
The DFA’s evacuation mission kickstarted in the last week of April amid the negotiated ceasefire. The Philippines then identified three routes to help Filipinos leave Sudan – through Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Djibouti.
Those leaving throughPort Sudan will be brought to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia before flying home to the Philippines.
RELATED: DFA working to ease entry of Sudan evacuees into Egypt
De Vega on Tuesday said they are in touch with “a handful” — no more than a dozen — of Filipinos who also want to go home but have either not secured permission from their employers or are not able to visit the consulate.
The DFA is assisting all Filipinos in Sudan regardless of their documentation status. Consular officer will be ready to make emergency documents for Filipinos who do not have travel or work documents.
“Authorities in Port Sudan [and] Saudi are now lenient,” De Vega said.
He said that Filipinos will be allowed entry “as long as you have an identity document and the Saudi government has approved your entry visa application, which the consulate there is tasked to oversee by collecting all the names and will hand over to the Saudi government.”
Authorities earlier said that all Filipinos who are able to evacuate from Sudan will be given immediate $200 financial assistance on top of another P100,000 in humanitarian aid and getting help via job placement back home. — Kaycee Valmonte