DFA: 13 distressed Filipinos from Sri Lanka return to the Philippines

Thirteen distressed Filipinos returned to the Philippines on Saturday due to the ongoing economic crisis in Sri Lanka, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.

In a statement on Sunday, the DFA said this first batch of repatriates from Sri Lanka was composed of six females, two males, and five minors.

The 13 Filipinos, whose return tickets were funded by the DFA, arrived aboard a commercial flight from Colombo.

The DFA said more Filipinos were expected to arrive in the Philippines as they plan to repatriate 114 Filipinos from Sri Lanka by the second week of August, should there be no complications.

It also said the Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs, together with the Philippine Embassy in Bangladesh and the Philippine Honorary Consulate General in Colombo, were monitoring the situation and attending to the concerns of the Filipinos in Sri Lanka.

The distribution of financial assistance was also underway, the agency added.

“The DFA continues to assist all distressed Filipinos overseas, including undocumented contract workers. We are coordinating with the Department of Migrant Workers and other concerned agencies during this transition period, as the DMW sets up its Migrant Workers Offices abroad,” Foreign Affairs Acting Undersecretary Eduardo Jose de Vega said.

"The DFA shall always stand ready to assist in repatriating distressed Filipinos, true to our mandate of being guardians of the welfare of our overseas kababayan," he added. — DVM, GMA News