DFA: 25 Pinoys seeking repatriation amid Sri Lanka crisis

By JOVILAND RITA, GMA News So far, 25 Filipinos had asked the Department of Foreign Affairs for help getting repatriated due to the crisis in Sri Lanka, a DFA official said on Tuesday. During the Laging Handa public briefing, DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Workers' Affairs Sarah Lou Arriola said they were hoping that the first batch of repatriates would arrive this weekend or early next week. “Last May 26, nagtawag na ang DFA sa mga kailangan na magpa-repatriate. So far, meron tayong 25,” she said. (Last May 26, the DFA had offered to help all those who needed repatriation. So far, we have 25) There were 492 Filipinos in Sri Lanka, with a significant number married to Sri Lankans. Around 345 were members of the Philippine Ladies Association, 100 belonged to the Association of Filipinos in Sri Lanka, and 47 were engineers. Several Filipinos in Sri Lanka were struggling financially as the South Asian country's inflation rate rose to 33% and food inflation to 45%. Arriola said the Philippine government would send a rapid response team on June 2 to assist the affected overseas Filipinos. The DFA would provide each affected adult Sri Lanka-based Filipino with $300 in aid. For those who would be repatriated, Arriola said the DFA and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration would assist them in finding a livelihood once they return to the Philippines. — DVM, GMA News

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