DMW eyes repatriation of 63 Pinoys from Haiti this week

The 63 Filipinos who expressed their willingness to get repatriated amid the ongoing violence in Haiti may be sent back to the Philippines this week, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said Monday.

Interviewed on Unang Balita, DMW officer-in-charge Hans Leo Cacdac said that they wish to repatriate the Filipinos from Haiti as soon as possible as the ongoing violent gang activities there already require urgent action.

“The flight will be arranged at the soonest possible time. Wala lang specific date. As soon as possible, ganon muna tayo ngayon. Obviously, it could be this week,” Cacdac said.

(There is no specific date yet, but they will be repatriated as soon as possible.)

DMW announced Sunday that Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo approved the recommendation on the declaration of Alert Level 3, or the voluntary repatriation for Filipinos, in Haiti.

A total of 154 Filipinos are in Haiti based on the embassy’s latest records, said Cacdac.

“‘Yung sa iba, sila ay kinukumbinsi pa syempre to take the flight home. Voluntary repatriation ngayon, nasa kanila ang kapasyahan whether or not nais nilang umuwi. But definitely, ang sinasabi ngayon on the ground is hanggat maaari, mag-avail na ng voluntary repatriation,” he added.

(Others are still being persuaded to take the flight home. It’s voluntary repatriation now, so they get to decide whether or not they want to go home. But definitely, on the ground, they are being told to avail of the voluntary repatriation while they can.)

The DMW official also reiterated that there are no reports of Filipinos getting injured amid the violence in the Caribbean country.

He also said that Filipinos will be continuously barred from seeking work in Haiti.

“Of course may karampatang deployment ban ‘yan. Although matagal na ring may deployment ban to Haiti in 2017. So hindi rin ganon karami ang OFWs doon,” Cacdac said.

(Of course, there will also be a deployment ban. Although there has long been a deployment ban to Haiti. There are only a few OFWs there.)

Earlier this month, Haiti's government declared a state of emergency, following violent clashes in Port-au-Prince that have damaged communications and led to two prison breaks as a major gang leader seeks to oust Prime Minister Ariel Henry.

Reuters reported that tensions were still high in the capital on Friday, as attacks continued across parts of the city in the aftermath of the resignation of Henry and in the absence of a clear plan to replace him.—AOL, GMA Integrated News