First batch of 91 Pinoys leaves Yemen for PHL

The first batch of 91 Filipinos who fled the ongoing armed hostilities in Yemen were flown to Manila Wednesday, the Department of Foreign Affairs said.
 
“This is the first group that will safely return to the Philippines. Arrangements are also being made for the remaining evacuees for the return flight to the Philippines,” Foreign Affairs spokesman Charles Jose said, adding they will arrive in Manila in two batches on April 9.
 
The first group of 69  Filipinos is expected to arrive at 3:40 p.m. while the second batch of 22 at 4:45 p.m.
 
There were around 800 Filipinos in Yemen before the civil war, but 383 have decided to leave and joined the Philippine government-organized repatriation since April 5 as the armed conflict between competing forces fighting control over Yemen intensifies.
 
Travelling in a convoy of five buses, an initial group of 339 evacuees, along with two Yemeni spouses of Filipinos, were brought to the Tuwal-Jizan border crossing to Saudi Arabia where they will wait for their onward flight to Manila.
 
“The Philippine government is providing accommodation for the evacuees in Jizan,” Jose said.
 
Another batch of 44 evacuees, including one Yemeni spouse of a Filipino, began their land journey from the coastal city of Hodeidah and is expected to reach the border crossing Wednesday, Jose said.

The batch consisted of 31 adult males, 11 adult females, and two minor children. 
 
Amid the growing unrest, the DFA official assured that the Philippine crisis management team will remain in Yemen until there are Filipinos who would like to be evacuated.
 
“We have no timeframe but until there are Filipinos who wish to leave Yemen, our crisis team and Philippine embassy representatives will help them get out of the country,” Jose said.
 
However, Jose urged the remaining Filipinos there to immediately register for evacuation while all exit points remain open.
 
“We call on our nationals to leave while there is still chance,” he said. — Michaela del Callar with Rie Takumi/RSJ, GMA News

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