MANILA - Four more Filipinos in Ukraine have arranged for voluntary repatriation to return to the Philippines, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Thursday, after news broke of Russia’s attack on the European country.

This follows 6 Filipinos who flew back to Manila last Friday as tensions rose in the area.

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Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Sarah Lou Arriola said in a virtual media briefing that 4 Filipinos were set to depart from the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on Thursday “if circumstances allow."

They are expected to arrive in the Philippines on Friday, she said.

As of Thursday, 181 Filipinos in Ukraine have been accounted for, Arriola said.

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She added a team from the Philippine Embassy in Warsaw in neighboring Poland arrived in Lviv last week and along with the consulate general in Kyiv has been managing the repatriation.

“We will maintain our presence there until circumstances allow us,” she said.

“We will use all means. If flying is still possible, we will fly them out of Ukraine and back to the Philippines. If not, then we will use land. Anything else that’s possible. We have been prepared for this.”

However, with the DFA still on alert level 2 in Ukraine, repatriation is still voluntary.

Many of the Filipinos in Ukraine are household service workers, with some married to locals.

“Our Filipinos, especially the ones who are working there, have families there have to weigh a lot of things, before they decide to come home. What the DFA is doing is we are offering ourselves to assist just in case they decide to come home,” Arriola added.

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DFA Assistant Secretary for migrant workers Paul Cortes added that while foreign spouses of Filipinos are allowed to enter the Philippines, it would be difficult for many to decide to do so, as seen in previous instances of families from conflict-hit areas.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said in a tweet that Poland has agreed to let in Filipinos from Ukraine even without European Union entry visas.

But Arriola said no Filipinos have yet crossed to other countries in Europe.

Warsaw PE's been on high alert; repatriated a few; Poland finally agreed to let ours in sans EU visas; not heard anything from Russia on our request re: its closest border. Most Filipinos in Ukraine are grateful guests and want to stick it out with their warm welcoming neighbors. https://t.co/Jl25lUvBnQ

— Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) February 24, 2022

The alert level can only be raised by Locsin, but Arriola said they do not know if it would be raised or when, adding the DFA needs to assess the situation and confirm what is being reported in the media.

“For now, we urge our kababayans in Ukraine not to panic but exercise caution and mind their movement to keep their vigilance and maintain communication with the PH embassy team in Lviv or the consulate general in Kyiv should they need any assistance,” Arriola said.

She added the DFA’s posts in Warsaw, Budapest, and Moscow, as well as in the rest of Europe are “on standby for any eventuality”.

The DFA also called on other Filipinos in Ukraine who have not been accounted for to reach out to them.

Cortes added they have been searching social media for other Filipinos in Ukraine to learn their plans regarding repatriation should the crisis worsens.

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