Third Batch of Filipinos on Voluntary Repatriation from Egypt arrive in Manila

A February 14, 2011 press release b the Department of Foreign Affairs

Thirty-six Filipinos from Egypt arrived Monday afternoon at Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport. They comprised the third batch of Filipinos who availed of the voluntary repatriation program by the Philippine Embassy in Cairo and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) following 18-days of pro-democracy protests in Egypt. They arrived at 3:45 PM on board an Emirates airlines from Dubai.

The third batch of Filipinos—30 women, 3 men and 3 minors—included five nurses from the Dar Al Fouad Hospital who resigned during the crisis.

DFA Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs (DFA-OUMWA) Executive Director Ricardo M. Endaya together with DFA-OUMWA personnel welcomed the third batch of repatriates at the airport.


Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) representatives headed by Administrator Carmelita S. Dimzon and Office of the Vice President (OVP) Representative Ira Puzon were also present at the airport.

Like the previous batches, the Embassy received assistance from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) office in Cairo in securing arrangements for this batch of Filipino repatriates. The Filipino community organizations also actively assisted in the arrangements.

The repatriates received certifications that they may use when availing of programs and services extended by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency (POEA).

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) will also provide them post-trauma debriefing, counseling and reintegration packages.

The first batch of 26 Filipinos who availed of the voluntary repatriation arrived last February 06. They were composed of Filipino scholars from the Al Azhar University and their families, three nurses from the Dar Al Fouad Hospital and household service workers. The second batch of 32 Filipinos arrived last February 09.

President Hosni Mubarak stepped down last Saturday in the wake of the ongoing popular uprising.

News reports stated that Egypt’s Supreme Council of Armed Forces would remain in charge of the country for the next six months until a new government is formed. The military said that security would remain a priority. It likewise pledged to fight corruption and restore peace in the country.