DFA: Number of Filipinos to be evacuated out of Libya decreased to 842

The 65 overseas Filipino workers (OFW) repatriated from Libya thru the effort of the Philippine government arrive at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on Monday (June 23, 2014) in Pasay City. (PNA photos by Avito C. Dalan)

MANILA — The Department of Foreign Affairs said the number of Filipinos who will join the evacuation out of troubled Libya by sea has decreased to 842 from 1,100 as the 1,500-seater ship that was hired by the Philippine government is scheduled to arrive at 4 p.m. Wednesday.

From 490 workers in Benghazi, the figure now stands at 477, while those who have registered for evacuation in Misrata went down to 365 from 610, DFA spokesman Charles Jose said.

Jose said the Filipinos did not cite a reason why they backed out of the evacuation.

Due to limited exit options in the North African state, the Philippine government decided to evacuate Filipinos by sea. It contracted a ship for USD 1.8 million to take the Filipinos out of violence-plagued Libya to Malta, where Philippine Airlines chartered planes will fly them directly to Manila.

The vessel will pick up passengers on Aug.

13 in Benghazi and on Aug. 14 in Misrata. It is expected to arrive in Malta on Aug. 15, Jose said.

“We can’t provide too many operational details but the rapid response team in Benghazi will be escorting the Filipinos from the designated pick up points and bring them to the port and they will be processed by immigration then followed by customs,” Jose said.

In the next two days, at least 86 Filipinos from Libya are expected to arrive in the Philippines in batches, Jose said.

Their arrival will bring to 1,961 the total number of Filipinos who were evacuated from Libya since the Philippine government enforced emergency evacuation in July due to the worsening armed conflict.

Before the conflict erupted this year, around 13,000 Filipinos are employed in hospitals and construction firms across the North African state.