Stay or Go: Pinoy workers weigh risks against remittances in strife-torn Libya
As the Department of Foreign Affairs raised the alert level in Libya, Filipino overseas workers there are considering repatriation but are worried about the jobs they will leave behind and the safety of the Philippine government's exit startegy for them.
"Pinag-iisipan din po namin kung mag re-repatriate kami," Migueller Reyes, 27, who works as a nurse in Kabaw, Libya, told GMA News Online in an online interview Sunday evening.
Reyes said that although the mountainous area of Kabaw, a three- to four-hour drive from the capital of Tripoli, is relatively safe from rebels, he fears that the resistance will reach the area.
The Foreign Affairs department raised the alert level in Libya to "4" on Sunday due to the "unstable political and security situation" in the country.
However, in a text message to GMA News Online, DFA spokesman Charles Jose noted that they cannot force OFWs to leave.
Aside from safety, the OFWs are torn whether to leave their workplace as it means losing their livelihood.
"Matagal ko na napag-isipan 'yan. Actually, last month pa dapat ako wala dito sa Libya kung naibigay lang ang benifits ko. Pera lang naman ang dahilan kaya andito pa ako eh," Romy (not his real name), another nurse in Libya said through Facebook, the main method of communication for OFWs in the area.
"'Yung management kasi namin hindi ganun kaayos pagdating sa pera," said the Pinoy nurse who has lived in Jadu, Libya for two years.
For his part, Reyes explained that he might not avail of repatriation easily because he is still under contract with Kabaw General Hospital.
"Kakapirma lang po ng aming contract for another year kaya nag-aalangang umuwi din," Reyes pointed out.
He said there are eight Filipino nurses in the Kabaw General Hospital. The two-month-old baby of a Filipina nurse is also at th hospital.
"Kinausap po namin ang admin ng hospital. Hindi nila kami suportado sa pag-uwi. Ang iba sa amin ay gusto nang umuwi," he said.
Their last hope is the Philippine Embassy in Tripoli.
"Kailangan lang po siguro talagang kausapin ng Embassy ang mismong namamahala sa amin dito. Hindi kasi maintindihan ng admin namin ang pangamba sa bansang ito," he said.
Although the 27-year-old nurse said that he is ready to leave if the situation gets worse, he said he has to consider the benefits that he should get after working at the hospital for more than two years.
"Ang gusto naming malaman lang eh kung magre-resign kami, may length of service fee [ba] kaming makukuha," he said.
Even as they face security threats in Libya, another concern among Filipinos is sending money home since remittance services have been down since March.
No emergency plan?
Both Reyes and Romy said that there is no clear emergency plan from the Philippine Embassy, adding that their main communication with the consulate is through the social networking site Facebook.
"Hindi pa gaano malinaw ang plano… Ang tanging paraan lang ay ang tumawid ng border ng Tunisia. 'Yun po ang plano ng embassy," he claimed.
In case they have to leave through Tunisia, Reyes can get there in an hour. It will take Romy longer to cross the border, though.
"Through FB din nalalaman namin yung mga plans ng Philippine Embassy, kaso nag-aalala kami sa safety ng gagawin nilang evacuation. Marami kasing mga bali-balita na hindi ligtas yung mga route," he said.
"Sarado ang mga daanan, papasok at palabas ng main city, hindi kami makababa dito sa bundok dahil nga delikado ang daan papunta ng embassy," he pointed out.
Last week, the country's main airport in Tripoli was shut down after the rebels seized control.
"Kung maiibigay ng maaga ang mga benefits, as much as possible eh magpapalista na po kami for repatriation agad-agad," Reyes said.
"Kung magtutuloy-tuloy ang labanan sa capital at sa tuluyang pagbagsak ng seguridad, hindi malabong umabot po dito ang gulo," he added. "Pinagdarasal na lang namin na hindi na umabot." — JDS, GMA News
"Pinag-iisipan din po namin kung mag re-repatriate kami," Migueller Reyes, 27, who works as a nurse in Kabaw, Libya, told GMA News Online in an online interview Sunday evening.
Reyes said that although the mountainous area of Kabaw, a three- to four-hour drive from the capital of Tripoli, is relatively safe from rebels, he fears that the resistance will reach the area.
The Foreign Affairs department raised the alert level in Libya to "4" on Sunday due to the "unstable political and security situation" in the country.
However, in a text message to GMA News Online, DFA spokesman Charles Jose noted that they cannot force OFWs to leave.
Aside from safety, the OFWs are torn whether to leave their workplace as it means losing their livelihood.
"Matagal ko na napag-isipan 'yan. Actually, last month pa dapat ako wala dito sa Libya kung naibigay lang ang benifits ko. Pera lang naman ang dahilan kaya andito pa ako eh," Romy (not his real name), another nurse in Libya said through Facebook, the main method of communication for OFWs in the area.
"'Yung management kasi namin hindi ganun kaayos pagdating sa pera," said the Pinoy nurse who has lived in Jadu, Libya for two years.
For his part, Reyes explained that he might not avail of repatriation easily because he is still under contract with Kabaw General Hospital.
"Kakapirma lang po ng aming contract for another year kaya nag-aalangang umuwi din," Reyes pointed out.
He said there are eight Filipino nurses in the Kabaw General Hospital. The two-month-old baby of a Filipina nurse is also at th hospital.
"Kinausap po namin ang admin ng hospital. Hindi nila kami suportado sa pag-uwi. Ang iba sa amin ay gusto nang umuwi," he said.
Their last hope is the Philippine Embassy in Tripoli.
"Kailangan lang po siguro talagang kausapin ng Embassy ang mismong namamahala sa amin dito. Hindi kasi maintindihan ng admin namin ang pangamba sa bansang ito," he said.
Although the 27-year-old nurse said that he is ready to leave if the situation gets worse, he said he has to consider the benefits that he should get after working at the hospital for more than two years.
"Ang gusto naming malaman lang eh kung magre-resign kami, may length of service fee [ba] kaming makukuha," he said.
Even as they face security threats in Libya, another concern among Filipinos is sending money home since remittance services have been down since March.
No emergency plan?
Both Reyes and Romy said that there is no clear emergency plan from the Philippine Embassy, adding that their main communication with the consulate is through the social networking site Facebook.
"Hindi pa gaano malinaw ang plano… Ang tanging paraan lang ay ang tumawid ng border ng Tunisia. 'Yun po ang plano ng embassy," he claimed.
In case they have to leave through Tunisia, Reyes can get there in an hour. It will take Romy longer to cross the border, though.
"Through FB din nalalaman namin yung mga plans ng Philippine Embassy, kaso nag-aalala kami sa safety ng gagawin nilang evacuation. Marami kasing mga bali-balita na hindi ligtas yung mga route," he said.
"Sarado ang mga daanan, papasok at palabas ng main city, hindi kami makababa dito sa bundok dahil nga delikado ang daan papunta ng embassy," he pointed out.
Last week, the country's main airport in Tripoli was shut down after the rebels seized control.
"Kung maiibigay ng maaga ang mga benefits, as much as possible eh magpapalista na po kami for repatriation agad-agad," Reyes said.
"Kung magtutuloy-tuloy ang labanan sa capital at sa tuluyang pagbagsak ng seguridad, hindi malabong umabot po dito ang gulo," he added. "Pinagdarasal na lang namin na hindi na umabot." — JDS, GMA News
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