8 March 2023 - After the initial repatriation of 25 Filipinos last month, a combined team from the Department of Foreign Affairs’ Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs (DFA-OUMWA), headed by Undersecretary Eduardo José A. de Vega, and the Philippine Embassy in Ankara, headed by Philippine Ambassador to Türkiye Maria Elena P. Algabre, accompanied the second group of earthquake survivors yesterday on their flight from the Turkish capital to the international airport in Istanbul, from where they boarded the connecting flight to the Philippines.

 

In Istanbul, Philippine Consul General Shirlene C. Mananquil and her team met and assisted the repatriates in checking in and immigration procedures.

 

Most of this group of 24 repatriates consisted of dual Filipino-Turkish citizens staying at the temporary shelter in Ankara rented by the Embassy for them. There were several children in the group. They safely arrived today in the Philippines as scheduled.

 

While waiting for the connecting flight to Manila in Istanbul, the Undersecretary was interviewed by Arnold Clavio of GMA7’s Unang Hirit, who also spoke to one of the returning Filipinos, a lady who had not been to the Philippines since 1991.

 

DFA Assistant Secretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Paul Raymund P. Cortes was also interviewed about the incident in New York involving a possible hate crime against a Fil-Am mother and son.

Watch the interview here: https://dai.ly/x8iwrj1