The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has reassured Filipinos in Gaza that a repatriation fund of USD 297,746 (approximately PHP 16 million) is ready to cover the costs for the last Filipino who decides to return to the Philippines.
Currently, the Rafah border crossing is closed for “security reasons,” according to Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo Jose de Vega.
Undersecretary de Vega stated that the embassy had allocated the standby fund for local transportation, accommodation in Cairo, flight tickets, and welfare assistance for up to 150 persons. Currently, 69 Filipinos have expressed their decision to leave Gaza, awaiting a signal to exit.
The situation on the ground is dynamic, with the Rafah border opening contingent on the security conditions in the area, as highlighted by Philippine Ambassador to Egypt Ezzedin Tago. Embassy officers in Cairo are on standby, monitoring developments at the Egyptian side of the border crossing.
In a separate update, the DFA announced that 35 of the 40 individuals who crossed the border earlier will depart Egypt on the afternoon of Nov. 9 (Cairo time) and are expected to arrive in the Philippines around 4:30 p.m. on Nov. 10 (Manila time).
The embassy has also arranged for psychosocial support for the repatriates and provided financial assistance to them. Notably, three individuals have chosen to stay in Egypt with their Egyptian patriarch, and one, a pregnant woman, was unable to travel due to her advanced pregnancy.
(ai/mnm)
