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Thursday, March 28, 2024

19 repatriates from Baghdad ready to leave Middle East

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The first batch of Filipino workers returning from Baghdad is scheduled to depart from Doha on Monday night, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said Monday.

In a statement, Lorenzana said the group was scheduled to depart for Doha at 9 p.m. on Monday and to arrive in Doha at 12:30 a.m. on Jan. 14.

However, this has yet to be finalized as all flights to Manila have been canceled because of Taal Volcano’s eruption over the weekend.

Lorenzana said Sunday only a small contingent of Filipino troops would be deployed to assist in the repatriation of Filipino workers in the

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Middle East, and that they would be wearing civilian attire.

Lorenzana, the designated inter-agency repatriation committee chairman for the Filipino workers in the Middle East, said the group returning from Baghdad was scheduled to board a Qatar Airways flight to Manila.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, who is in Doha, is set to accompany the Filipino on their flight home.

Meanwhile, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration administrator Hans Leo Cacdac was set to leave  Monday for Saudi Arabia to attend to the welfare of the Filipinos in the Middle East and assist in the repatriation effort, Lorenzana said.

“The Rapid Response Teams of the DOLE and DFA [Department of Foreign Affairs] have been advised of his impending arrival,” Lorenzana said.

He said requests for repatriation from the Filipinos in Iraq, Libya and other Middle East hot spots had been received by embassies and consulates and their exit clearances were now being processed.

He said the military was ready to deploy personnel to assist in the repatriation efforts.

“Coordination by Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin Jr., through our diplomatic missions with other countries that may provide landing/docking clearances, as well as access to refueling and replenishment facilities have been ongoing ever since the President gave his order to prepare for the repatriation of Filipinos in the Middle East,” Lorenzana said.

The Philippine Navy’s Del Pilar-class offshore patrol vessel/frigate and a Tarlac-class landing dock have been designated for the repatriation mission.

The Philippine Air Force has two C-130s and one C-295 transport aircraft that are ready to pick up returning Filipino workers. 

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