Gov’t preparing list of Pinoys to be repatriated from Sri Lanka

MANILA – The Philippine government is preparing a list of Filipinos to be repatriated from Sri Lanka, an official said Monday.

Sri Lanka is facing a severe financial crisis due to a shortage in foreign exchange.

“Tayo po’y inatasan ni (Labor) Secretary Bello na makipag-ugnayan sa team ni Secretary Locsin at ng (Department of Foreign Affairs) at ang pinakalatest pong ulat na natanggap natin, ay sa ngayon ay nagsasagawa ng ng paglilista ng mga ililikas, isasama doon sa repatriation flight na pauwi,” Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration(OWWA) chief Hans Leo Cacdac told TeleRadyo.

(We have been asked by Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III to work with the Secretary Teodor Locsin Jr. and the Department of Foreign Affairs, and the latest update we have is that they are now listing dsown the names of the Filipinos to be included in the repatriation flight.)

Money will be sent to help Filipinos in Sri Lanka with their basic needs, he said.

“Nagawa po natin ‘to sa Shanghai, kung tatandaan natin nagka-lockdown nung isa o dalawang buwan na nakalipas, at tayo po’y nagpadala ng pondo sa consulate general’s office, so handa rin po tayo ngayon sa Sri Lanka,” he added.

(We did this before in Shanghai, if we remember there was a lockdown one or two months back, so we sent money to the consulate general's office, so we are ready also to do that for Sri Lanka.)

• OWWA says working with DFA to assist Filipinos in bankrupt Sri Lanka

A Filipino community leader in Sri Lanka told ABS-CBN News last week that Pinoys are interested in repatriation amid the shortage in basic goods and fuel plaguing the South Asian country.

• Many Filipinos in Sri Lanka willing to be repatriated: community adviser
• Ilang Pinoy sapul ng economic crisis sa Sri Lanka; repatriation inihirit

--TeleRadyo, 30 May 2022

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