DFA Releases

Another Batch of Filipinos to be Repatriated from Syria

Friday, 08 March 2013 15:15
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08 March 2013 – The Philippine Government is continuing its repatriation operations in Syria as the violence in the country continues. In line with this effort, the Philippine Embassy in Damascus informed the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) that 61 Filipinos are set to arrive in Manila tomorrow, March 09, at 9:15 a.m., aboard Qatar Airways flight QR 648.

Upon their arrival, the number of repatriates from Syria will reach 3,692 individuals.

The repatriates underwent a medical check-up before leaving Damascus and were all declared fit to travel. They were then brought by the personnel of the Embassy in Damascus to the Syria-Lebanon border on March 07 on board several chartered buses.

The Philippine Embassy in Beirut made representations with Lebanese Immigration authorities to facilitate the repatriates’ entry into Lebanese territory through the Masna’a border crossing.

On March 08, the repatriates proceeded to Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport where they took a Qatar Airways flight to Doha, Qatar and then another flight to Manila.

They will be assisted during their five-hour layover at Doha Airport by Philippine Embassy personnel in that country.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) continues to urge all Filipinos who are still in Syria to seek immediate repatriation to avoid being caught in the escalating violence. For assistance, the Embassy in Damascus may be reached at 963-11-6132626.

The relatives of Filipinos in Syria may also provide the DFA with up-to-date information regarding their loved ones’ current location and contact details in Syria. Those who wish to do so may call the Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs (OUMWA) at (02)834-4583 or 834-3240 or the DFA’s 24-hour Action Center at (02) 834-3333. END

 

 

Philippine Foreign Service and MECO Personnel Undergo OAV Training

Thursday, 07 March 2013 16:33
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OAV

7 March 2013 – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in partnership with the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) recently conducted a three-day training on the conduct of voting, counting and canvassing for the personnel of Philippine Foreign Service Posts and Manila Economic and Cultural Offices who will act as Special Board of Election Inspectors (SBEI), Special Ballot Reception and Custody Group (SBRCG) and Special Board of Canvassers (SBOC) on the May 13, 2013 national elections.

The training was conducted at Hyatt Hotel and Casino in Manila from February 11 to 13.

The session with the singing of the Philippine national anthem by the COMELEC Chorale. This was followed by speeches and remarks from Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Jose S. Brillantes, Chairman of the DFA’s Overseas Absentee Voting Secretariat, COMELEC Chairman Sixto S. Brillantes Jr. and COMELEC Committee on Absentee Voting (COAV) Chairman, Commissioner Lucenito N. Tagle.OAV 2

A total of 85 representatives from different FSPs in Asia and the Pacific Region which also includes the MECOs and a number of FSPs in the Middle East and African Region attended and participated the aforementioned training which is just a kick-off of a series of similar trainings that will be conducted in strategically located areas abroad to cover all regions of the world.

The first two days focused on lectures, while the last day was devoted to hands-on training through a mock election. Overseas Voting 2013 t-shirts were given as prizes to groups that excelled in the mock elections.

The closing program was highlighted with messages from two training participants, Philippine Ambassador to Australia Belen F. Anota and former OAV Vice Chairman, Philippine Ambassador to Israel Generoso D.G. Calonge.

The three-day training concluded with the awarding of certificates of appreciation to the participants and certificates of commendation to the COMELEC trainors and members of the training secretariat from DFA-OAVS and COMELEC-COAV. END

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