Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 25) — The Philippine government will provide a $200 financial assistance to all overseas Filipinos in Sudan who will cross the border to safety, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said Tuesday.
“Those who are able to cross the border will be given financial assistance upon crossing, kasi marami sa kanila ay walang dala at all (because most of them don’t have anything with them),” said DMW Secretary Susan Ople in a Palace briefing.
The Department of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday said that at least 50 Filipinos in Sudan have been evacuated, while more than 320 are requesting to be repatriated.
The national government is trying to repatriate more Filipinos during the 72-hour ceasefire between the Sudanese military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.
Ople said President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. directed the DMW to bring home many Filipinos as quickly as possible regardless of the legality of their status in Sudan.
“It shouldn’t matter whatever papers they have or if they don’t have any papers at all. To quote the President, kung marunong mag-Tagalog, marunong mag-Bisaya, marunong mag-Ilokano…Pinoy yan. So, it doesn’t really matter if they are in possession of a passport or any identity card. Aayusin na lang namin pagdating sa border,” she said.
[Translation: It shouldn’t matter whatever papers they have or if they don’t have any papers at all. To quote the President, if they know how to speak Tagalog, Bisaya, or Ilokano…they’re obviously Filipino. So, it doesn’ t really matter if they are in possession of a passport or any identity card. We will just work on that once they arrive at the border.]
Ople will be leaving for Cairo, Egypt Tuesday night to oversee the repatriation of Filipinos from Sudan and to set up welfare assistance stations in various border points.
The DMW also said the Philippine government is trying to find temporary jobs in Saudia Arabia for affected overseas Filipinos.
“We are trying to explore the possibility that those who wish to be hired, instead of coming home…but we are looking at and exploring the possibility of temporary jobs for them in Saudi Arabia. We are working this out,” said Ople.
For now, Ople said the DMW is searching for jobs in the country for Filipinos returning from Sudan, adding that financial assistance will also be given to their families.
“There’s a team in DMW undertaking job matching. Kasi mayroon naman kaming mga profiles we were able to get with the help of DFA and with the embassy, and with the help of OWWA…We also allocated financial aid to their families. So wala silang kailangan intindihin,” she said.
