ALERT: Evacuation of OFWs in Libya Deferred

An attempt to evacuate by sea more than 1,000 Filipinos from Libya had been deferred according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). The date of withdrawal of these OFWs has been pushed back, and no evacuation transpired last Monday, August 11, 2014 said DFA spokesperson and Assistant Secretary Charles Jose. He will come up with details of the delay and the new evacuation schedule soonest.

1,036 Filipinos in Benghazi and Misrata enlisted in yesterday’s aborted evacuation effort. The plan was to fetch the Filipino repatriates in the two port cities by sea vessel and ferry them to Malta. From there they will be transpoorted by air to Manila.

Meanwhile, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) will make available to repatriated OFWs the one-time Financial Relief Assistance Program (FRAP) emergency aid of P10,000 starting this week. Both OWWA member and non-member OFWs can get the aid from OWWA regional offices nationwide on presentation of their valid identification cards and travel documents. Only those repatriated from Libya are entitled to the financial aid.

In line with OWWA’s pledge to support the welfare and well-being of OFWs, the OWWA Board of Trustees, headed by Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz approved of the emergency aid last week.

(source: Philippine Daily Inquirer, August 11, 2014)