Register for Repatriation, Pinoys in Yemen Exhorted
Filipinos in Yemen were urged anew over the weekend to register for repatriation, following the recent raising of the alert level there from 2 to 3.
The Philippine embassy in Riyadh, which has jurisdiction over Yemen, cited the raising of the alert level stemmed from the current political and security situation in Yemen.
“All Filipinos are strongly advised to leave Yemen as soon as possible. Currently, a total deployment ban is imposed and all travels to Yemen including those who are on vacation and returning to Yemen will not be allowed,” it said.
It noted Alert Level 2 means Restriction Phase, while Alert Level 3 calls for voluntary repatriation.
Filipinos who wish to avail of voluntary repatriation must signify their intention and immediately coordinate with the crisis management team for assistance.
On the other hand, the embassy said Filipinos should decide and arrange to leave Yemen immediately, and not later than November 30.
It said the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh has deployed a crisis management team in Sana’a to closely monitor the political and security situation and assist the Filipino community.
Registration
The Philippine Embassy in Riyadh urges all Filipinos in all cities and regions of Yemen to update their registration with the Embassy.
If they have not registered in the past, they can accomplish the registration form on the website of the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh www.riyadhpe.dfa.gov.ph.
For more information, Filipinos in Yemen may contact the following:
– Crisis Management Team: Movenpick Hotel Sana’a, Berlin Street, Sana’a, Yemen, +967 73 384 4958
– Mohammed Saleh Al Jamal, Honorary Consul: Philippine Consulate in Sana’a, Hadda Area, Damascus Street, P.O. Box 1696, Sana’a, Yemen, +967 1 416751, fax +967 1 418254, mobile +967 777 2 555 11, email honconsanaa@philembassy-riyadh.org
The embassy also posted a list of Filipino community coordinators and leaders the Filipinos can contact.
Earlier, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration banned the deployment of overseas Filipino workers to Yemen via Resolution 27 imposing the total ban.
In a statement, the DOLE said this covers the “processing and deployment of all overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) to Yemen, both returning and newly-hired, effective immediately.”
The DOLE cited a letter from the Department of Foreign Affairs to the POEA Governing Board, where it said the current situation in Sana’a, Yemen, is relatively peaceful after the signing last September 21 of a UN-brokered Peace and Partnership Agreement between Houthi rebels and the Yemeni government.
However, it noted Houthi forces remain in Sana’a and have imposed their control on checkpoints and some government buildings.
The DOLE said the total deployment ban is in line with the Department of Foreign Affairs’ raising of the crisis alert level for Yemen from 2 to 3.
On Dec. 10, 2013, the POEA Governing Board reimposed a total ban on the processing and deployment of returning and newly-hired OFWs to Yemen following a bomb attack at the Yemeni defense ministry complex on December 5.
In that attack, seven Filipinos were killed while 11 other OFWs were injured.
Last February 13, the POEA Governing Board allowing the re-deployment of returning OFWs to Yemen, subject to proof of existing employment.
But it maintained the processing and deployment ban for newly-hired OFWs.
The POEA said deployment of OFWs to Yemen reached only 646 in 2013, with 571 of them re-hires and 75 new hires.
(Source: LBG, GMA News)