Manila: The Philippine Embassy in Riyadh mobilised several teams to fast-track the repatriation of some 1,400 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in several areas in Yemen, a senior foreign official said, as the government announced a ban on Filipinos travelling to Yemen.
Charge d'Affaires Ez-zedin Tago and a five-man team from the Philippine embassy were posted in Sanaa, to implement the plan.
In focus: Unrest in the Middle East
A separate three-man team from the Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah was also posted at Aden, a port city, for the same purpose, said Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, adding that his country's embassy in Riyadh covers Yemen.
Philippine Honorary Consul in Yemen Mohammad Al Jamal and other members of the Philippine Embassy from Riyadh have been closely monitoring political developments in Yemen so that they could properly brief OFWs and members of the Filipino community on the plan that is being implemented, said del Rosario.
All the OFWs were advised to carry an emergency bag with clothes, water, canned goods, medicines, passports and money.
"In light of escalating violence in the capital where most of our nationals are located, we are ready to move our people out of harm's ways," said del Rosario. Sources said the Philippine government will shoulder the cost of repatriating the OFWs.
President Benigno Aquino called to raise the alert level in Yemen from two to three, said del Rosario, adding this has prompted Philippine government officials to fast track the repatriation for OFWs who have voluntarily relocated from Yemen.
Deployment ban
Meanwhile, the Philippine labour department has announced a deployment ban in Yemen.
The OFWs were advised not to travel to Yemen; to continue monitoring political developments there; and to keep their communication lines open with Philippine government officials.
Some 1,422 OFWs are based in Yemen. Their employers have assured Philippine embassy officials that they have an evacuation plan for the OFWs.
Last March 10, alert level two was raised in Yemen, with Philippine embassy officials urging OFWs to voluntarily leave Yemen.
About 26,000 OFWs have left Libya during the wave of unrest in the Middle East and North Africa.
They are part of about nine million OFWs who have been sending some $18 billion to their loved ones in the Philippines every year.
