POWER STRUGGLE. Over 10,000 people fleeing the conflict in Sudan have arrived in neighboring South Sudan since fighting broke out in mid-April between the army and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. The returnees and refugees have reportedly arrived in the border town of Renk in Upper Nile state and Aweil North County in Northern Bahr El Ghazal state. (Anadolu photo)
MANILA – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has started the evacuation of Filipinos trapped in Sudan as the violent power struggle in the North African state enters its second week.
DFA spokesperson Ma. Teresita Daza said the first batch, consisting of 50 nationals, left the Sudanese capital Khartoum by land on Monday night.
From the capital, the evacuees will be taken to Aswan in Egypt and eventually in capital Cairo.
The evacuation was initiated as Sudan’s warring factions agree to a 72-hour ceasefire.
DFA Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega said the Philippine Embassy in Egypt would provide accommodation and plane tickets to the repatriates under the assistance-to-nationals fund.
“We’ll do all we can na bago matapos ang linggo may [before the week ends, there will be] additional buses, hopefully more than just one,” he said in a CNN Philippines interview.
From 86 last week, De Vega said the number of Filipinos who want to leave Sudan has climbed to about 300.
As of this posting, the DFA said there are around 700 Filipinos registered working and living in Sudan.
“Not all want to go home or leave kasi inaasahan nila na matapos ang hostilities pero handa ang pamahalaan na iuwi sila (because they expect the hostilities to end soon but we are ready to bring them all home),” he said.
De Vega added that a team from the Department of Migrant Workers - Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (DMW-OWWA) will provide additional financial assistance to the evacuees once they arrive in Cairo.
In a news release, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said there are enough funds for the repatriation under the 2023 budget.
He said the DFA has a budget allocation of PHP1.259 billion for the "protection and promotion of welfare of overseas Filipinos” while OWWA has a repatriation budget that is sourced from employers' contributions.
As of 2021, the value of the OWWA fund was at PHP1.40 billion, according to Gatchalian. (PNA)
