200 OFWs in Syria coming home

Rappler.com

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The DFA Secretary was able to secure the release of 200 OFWs from Syria without exit visas

Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario meets with Syrian Presidential Adviser for Political and Media Affairs Dr. Bouthaina Shaaban in Damascus. Photo courtesy of DFA

MANILA, Philippines – Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario has secured the release of another 200 Filipino workers from Syria, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced on Wednesday, September 5.

After meeting with Syrian Presidential Adviser for Political and Media Affairs Dr. Bouthaina Shaaban and Foreign Minister, Del Rosario obtained permission for the group to be safely repatriated without paying any exit visa fees or penalties.

The DFA noted in a statement that the Secretary also requested for Syria to immediately release another 250 Overseas Foreign Workers (OFWs) currently housed at the Philippine Embassy compound in Damascus, as well as 1,300 OFWs who have expressed their desire to return home due to the deterioration of security in the country.

In addition, Del Rosario would like to bring home a larger contingent of about 2,400 Filipino workers “who are known to have been deployed in Syria, but have not manifested their intention to return to the Philippines.”

‘We don’t want to leave anyone behind’

“We don’t want to leave anyone behind who wishes to be repatriated,” the Foreign Affairs Secretary told ANC after traveling to Syria on Tuesday.

According to the DFA, most of the OFWs are either undocumented domestic workers or were illegally recruited from the Philippines, so they may be considered victims of human trafficking.

Del Rosario meets with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem in Damascus under a portrait of troubled Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Photo courtesy of DFA

“The problem is we don’t have exit visas for them because we were not able to negotiate with their employers and be able to assure that we will be able secure these exit visas. The employers we located but we cant find them,” Del Rosario said in the interview with ANC.

The average cost of repatriating each OFW will range between $2,000 and $4,000, much less than the $10,000 some Syrian employers were charging just a few weeks ago.

Syria should return favors

Regarding the relationship between both countries, the secretary hopes Damascus will return Manila’s favors in the past.

“We have supported them in resolutions at the UN and it is on the basis of these positions we have undertaken that we are able to get this concessions for our people.”

On June 1, the Philippines was the only member of the UN Human Rights Council to be absent in Geneva during a vote to condemn the grave rights abuses in Syria that was finally passed. – Rappler.com

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