The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced on Saturday that the first batch of 17 Filipino evacuees from war-torn Sudan has returned to the Philippines.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo and other government officials welcomed the evacuees at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Saturday, around 6:30PM at Terminal 3 via Qatar Airways Flight No. QR 204.
The 17 repatriates flew out of Athens, Greece and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, after representations with the Greek government through the Philippine Embassy in Athens.
According to a report from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), eight of the evacuees were hotel workers. The department identified them as Myra Castro, Sherly Arciga, Arnel Nacion, Johnny Mariano, Humphrey Manipis, Jomel Mallari, Marben Prila and Vilma Loba.
The report also said that the eight fled from Khartoum, Sudan and arrived in Greece onboard a Greek military aircraft where they were received by Philippine Ambassador to Greece Giovanni Palec on Friday morning. The embassy arranged for their flight back to the Philippines through the DFA Assistance-to-Nationals Fund.
Meanwhile, the other nine evacuees, including one infant, fled from Sudan’s capital Khartoum via Port Sudan where they boarded a C130 plane of the Saudi Royal Air Force bound for Jeddah.
The Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah received the group on Thursday, April 27.
According to a report from the Philippine News Agency, 610 Filipinos have fled Khartoum, with 391 crossing to the Egyptian side of the border in buses chartered by the Philippine Embassy in Cairo and the Philippine Honorary Consulate in Sudan.
The Embassy is currently working on the evacuees’ temporary visas and repatriation flights to the Philippines, while the DMW and OWWA are arranging for their shelter and other welfare assistance.
