MANILA-Vice President Jejomar C. Binay
appealed to relatives of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) in Libya to help
convince their family members to come home given the worsening conditions
there.
“Muli, nananawagan po ako sa ating
mga kababayan tulungang kumbinsihin ang kanilang mga kaanak sa Libya na huwag
nang makipagsapalaran at bumalik na sa ating bansa. Handa ang po ating
pamahalaan na tulungan silang makauwi nang matiwasay para makasama nilang muli
ang kanilang mga pamilya,” Binay said.
The Vice President also assured OFWs
of assistance once they return to the Philippines.
"OWWA (Overseas Workers Welfare
Administration) has a reintegration program for those who will come home.
Members may avail of livelihood assistance and other benefits," he added.
Binay encouraged families of OFWs in
Libya to contact the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) at (02) 552-7105 /
(02) 834-4685 or at oumwa@dfa.gov.ph.
Meanwhile, Filipinos in Libya can
contact the Philippine Embassy in Tripoli to coordinate their repatriation. Binay
said the Philippine government will shoulder their repatriation cost.
The Philippine Embassy in Libya is
located at KM 7 Gargaresh Road, Abu Nawas, Tripoli. OFWs may reach them at
hotline number (+218) 918244208, telephone number (+218-21) 483-3966, and
official e-mail addresses tripoli.pe@gmail.com and tripoli.pe@dfa.gov.ph.
So far, only 831 of the estimated
13,000 Filipinos working in Libya have returned home despite the government
announcing a mandatory evacuation of OFWs last month.
The DFA has also reported that safe
routes for exiting the North African country have narrowed, leaving rescue by
sea as the viable option.
Earlier, a Filipino construction
worker was beheaded after being abducted by unknown suspects. That killing was
followed by the gang rape of a Filipina nurse in the capital Tripoli.
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