Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 28) — The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said it was planning to charter a flight to repatriate 340 Filipinos held at the Egyptian border who fled the fighting in Sudan, Secretary Susan Ople told the media Friday.
\”We are now exploring the possibility of a chartered flight to bring the 340 Filipinos home…Kung makikipagbakbakan pa tayo sa tickets, that means tatagal pa sila sa Cairo,\” Ople said.
[Translation: If we try to fight over tickets, that means they will spend more time in Cairo.]
According to the DMW, they are currently being held at the border and are pending clearance from Egyptian immigration, a process which could take 48 to 72 hours to complete.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said once the Filipinos get their entry visas, they will be transported to Aswan, and then Cairo, before being repatriated to the Philippines via air travel.
READ: DFA hopes to bring home first batch of Filipinos from Sudan next week
Meanwhile, the DMW is handling the accommodation of 50 other Filipinos — 49 students and an OFW — in Aswan. They will also be transported to Cairo for repatriation.
