Over 3,000 Pinoys still in war-torn Libya –DFA

Filipino repatriates continue to trickle in from Libya due to the volatile political situation there, although over 3,000 still remain, braving the violence and apparent lawlessness.
In a statement Friday, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the Philippine Embassy in Tripoli has reported that 16 Filipino repatriates are due to arrive in Manila on Saturday, November 7.
Thirteen of the new repatriates were formerly based in Tripoli and the western region of Libya, the DFA said, adding the 13 departed Tunis on Friday and are scheduled to arrive at NAIA Terminal 3 on Saturday, 4 p.m., on board EK 332.
The remaining three, meanwhile, are scheduled to take their return flights to the Philippines on Friday using company-sponsored airline tickets.
The total number of repatriates from Libya now stands at 5,524, while an estimated 3,043 Filipinos remain in the war-torn region.
Crisis Alert Level 4 or mandatory repatriation remains in effect in Libya due to "continued political and security instability throughout the country, along with incidences of lawlessness and violence," the DFA said.
"The Embassy Team in Tripoli remains tireless in its efforts in reaching out to all remaining Filipinos in Libya and encouraging them to avail of the Philippine Government's mandatory repatriation program, and ensuring that they are safely evacuated out of the country," the DFA said.
The DFA reiterated its appeal to all Filipinos in Libya to register for repatriation and return home to safety.
Last March, a Filipino was killed in a bombing attack in Zawiya, while eight Filipinos have been kidnapped by Libyan militants in separate incidents.
Libya's government recently rejected a proposal by the United Nations for a united government, prolonging the war between the country's internationally-recognized parliament and an unofficial government controlling Tripoli. —Rie Takumi/KBK, GMA News

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

PCG: China’s bullying in West Philippine Sea undermines international law --- Ghio Ong - The Philippine Star

MANILA, Philippines — Letting China sustain its aggression in the West Philippine Sea would make other countries doubt the strength of international law currently being asserted by the Philippines, Commodore Jay Tarriela of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said. “Allowing China to blatantly disregard the established rules-based order threatens the very foundation that we all depend on,” he wrote in a post on X last Tuesday. He added, “If we permit this, countries worldwide may forget why this order was created in the first place. Nations could begin to doubt the significance of adhering to international law if powerful bullies can easily violate it.” Tarriela also said defiance of other countries to a rules-based order would result in the prevalence of cruelty. He wrote, “This could lead us back to a time when might makes right, undermining the global structures that keep human greed, savagery and barbarism in check. Such a scenario would not only invite challenges from aggressive ...
Read more

China ships maintain presence in key West Philippine Sea areas --- Michael Punongbayan - The Philippine Star

STAR / Michael Varcas MANILA, Philippines — While Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) have decreased in number, they have maintained a presence in three key land features where naval and coast guard ships have intensified operations in the past seven days, according to the Philippine Navy. Latest monitoring by the Philippine Navy showed armed ships of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) maintaining a menacing presence around the grounded BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal, Panatag Shoal and Escoda Shoal. According to the Philippine Navy, there are 17 Chinese military vessels and 28 China Coast Guard (CCG) boats spotted inside the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) between Sept. 23 and 30, or one vessel more than in the previous week Sept.17-23. Five of the warships were seen roaming around the vicinity of Escoda Shoal, along with 10 CCG vessels and 12 maritime militia vessels (MMVs). There are also two PLAN ships in Ayungin Shoal as well as 10 CCG boats and 12...
Read more

Social media seen as cause of rising intermarriages --- Helen Flores - The Philippine Star

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) sees social media as the main reason for the rising number of Filipinos marrying or becoming partners of foreign nationals. In 2022, the CFO recorded 6,854 marriages or partnerships with foreign nationals, a 40.1 percent increase from the 4,891 “intermarriages” recorded in 2021. “First of all, what we see in the increase in the marriage rate of Filipinos or Filipinos with foreign partners is because of social media, (that) is number one; matchings; letters, introduction of their friends,” CFO chairperson Romulo Arugay said at the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon public briefing yesterday. Arugay said the agency has been registering a high number of intermarriages since 2007, but the figures went down during the COVID-19 pandemic. From over 6,500 Filipinos who married foreign nationals, only 600 are men, he said. Most of them are married to Americans, Japanese, Germans, Canadians and Australians, Arugay said. Arugay warned Fi...
Read more