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Expatriation Assistance to Pinoy OFWs in Syria Must Be Clearly Defined
August 17, 2011
Senator Loren Legarda called on the Department of Foreign Affairs to immediately activate a system that will enable Filipinos to leave Syria given the extremely high ongoing risk of violent protests and government crackdown.
In noting the advisory issued by the DFA yesterday, urging Filipinos to leave Syria now, the Chair of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations said the advisory needs to be matched with resources and the system to move them to safer grounds or out of the country immediately.
"The security environment in Syria has the potential to deteriorate rapidly. We cannot afford to make the resources and the assistance available only when options for safe passage and travel are already gone," Legarda said.
"Our Embassy needs to designate forward coordination centers that can provide information and safe haven to those who would like to avail of repatriation assistance. Have these centers been designated and information disseminated already?," Legarda asked.
Legarda also said that the situation in Syria may be more difficult to handle considering that there are reports suggesting that most of the 17,000 Filipino workers in Syria have irregular status. "The first challenge is to provide all the information to them. You cannot convince our workers to leave unless the government assures and clarifies to them the security situation, the repatriation plans and options, and the procedures for their repatriation. Above all, we need to tell them what options they have in the country when they get back."
"Other countries have already issued advisories with detailed information on exit routes and the security situation in affected cities. Such details will enable our migrant workers to understand and appreciate the risks they are facing. We should do no less in making these information and plans available," Legarda concluded.
Plano sa Pag-uwi ng mga Pinoy sa Syria, Dapat Maging Malinaw
August 17, 2011
Nanawagan si Senador Loren Legarda sa Department of Foreign Affairs na magpatupad ng isang sistema kung saan madaling makalalabas ng Syria ang mga Pilipinong naiipit ng krisis doon.
Nagpalabas kahapon ng advisory ang DFA na nakikiusap sa mga Pilipino na iwan muna ang Syria ngayon. Ayon kay Legarda, chairman ng Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, ang advisory ay dapat may kasabay na malinaw na plano at resources para mailayo ang mga Pilipino sa panganib.
"Posibleng lumala ang sitwasyon sa Syria, at posibleng mangyari ito ng mabilis. Kailangan may plano na tayo, at kailangan may resources agad para ditto. Hindi puwede na saka tayo gagawa ng paraan pag malala na ang sitwasyon," ani Legarda.
"Dapat magtalaga na ang ating embahada ng forward coordination centers na magbibigay ng impormasyon at pansamantalang kanlungan ng mga Pilipinong gusto nang umuwi. Meron na ba tayo nito?" tanong ng senador.Dapat ding ikunsidera aniya ang katotohanang 17,000 Filipino workers sa Syria ay may irregular status.
"Ang unang misyon ay kung paano paabutin ang impormasyon sa kanila. Mahirap mo silang kumbinsihin na basta na lang umalis hangga't hindi nila naiintindihan ang sitwasyon, ang repatriation plans at options, at ang procedure para sa repatriation. Higit sa lahat, anong puwedeng nilang ikabuhay pagbalik ng bansa," paliwanag ng senador.
"Yung ibang bansa, nag-isyu na ng advisories na may impormasyon sa kanilang exit routes at security situation sa mga apektadong lugar. Ang mga detalyeng ito ay makatutulong sa pagde-desisyon. Tungkulin natin ito sa kanila," ani Legarda.
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