Gov't monitoring situation in Syria

MANILA, Philippines - The government is closely monitoring the situation in Syria to determine if there is a need to enforce mandatory repatriation of Filipino workers.

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said they are closely coordinating with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in assessing the situation in Syria as well as the condition of Filipino workers in Libya and Egypt.

The ban on deployment of Filipino workers to Egypt, Syria and Libya is still in force.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is awaiting recommendation of the DFA before deciding if Filipino workers in Libya may return for a Christmas vacation and return later to their employers.

A group of 50 distressed overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Damascus, Syria have been requesting to be repatriated.

“We continue to receive requests from the kin of the stranded OFWs to follow up their repatriation with the Philippine embassy,” said John Leonard Monterona, Migrante Middle East regional coordinator.

He said the government must reassess the situation in Syria amid the escalating violence. Citing government records, he said less than 300 have been repatriated out of the 17,000 OFWs in Syria.