Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 17)— The first batch of Filipino evacuees from Afghanistan arrived in the Philippines on Tuesday, the Department of Foreign Affairs said.
The DFA said 35 Filipinos were evacuated by their employers to Doha, Qatar where they joined a chartered plane going to Manila. They arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 earlier in the day.
The Philippine government earlier ordered the mandatory repatriation of Filipinos in Afghanistan after Taliban forces seized control of the capital city Kabul. There are at least 132 Filipinos in the south-central Asian nation.
RELATED: Chaos is unfolding in Afghanistan. Here’s what you need to know.
Malacañang on Tuesday said the Philippines is open and “will not hesitate to admit” refugees and asylum seekers from Afghanistan.
LOOK: 35 Filipinos from Afghanistan arrive at NAIA Terminal 1 today.
DFA Undersecretary Sarah Lou Arriola says that they were part of the DFA chartered repatriation flight from Doha, Qatar. | @tricia__zafra pic.twitter.com/3YMHfplaCl
— CNN Philippines (@cnnphilippines) August 17, 2021
