Pinoys fled to Poland fr Ukraine to arrive in PH
By Nidz Godino
"There should be one group arriving tomorrow night…ito yung 13 from Poland na sinundo ni Secretary Locsin," Undersecretary Sarah Lou Arriola of the Department of Foreign Affairs told media thirteen Filipinos who fled to Poland from Ukraine following Russia's invasion are expected to arrive in the Philippines any time.
Arriola was referring to the 13 Filipinos who were personally met by Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin, Jr. after crossing Ukraine-Poland border. She said they are flying out of Poland.
"The rest, they should be coming anytime this week or during weekend," she added.
Aside from 13 from Poland, others are awaiting repatriation after getting affected by the crisis in Ukraine including 6, who fled to Moldova, 4, who fled to Romania, 8, who fled to Hungary, 8 seafarers MV S Breeze who are about to enter Moldova
Arriola said DFA's posts in Poland and Hungary are mainly helping affected Filipinos.
Six other Filipinos from Ukraine have already arrived in the country earlier.
Arriola previously said 181 Filipinos have fled to Lviv from Ukraine's capital city Kyiv, where most of the fighting is taking place.
Some are refusing to leave the country, such as those who are married to Ukrainians.
" We have documented 33 who are in Lviv…they just want to stay there…they don't want to come home," she said during.
There are also household service workers in Kyiv who say they will evacuate with their employers, Arriola had said.
The DFA earlier said those who need repatriation assistance are advised to contact Philippine Embassy in Poland through the following contact details:
Email: (warsaw.pe@dfa.gov.ph)
Emergency Mobile Number +48 604 357 396
Office Mobile Number +48 694 491 663
Philippine Honorary Consulate General in Kyiv, Ukraine
Mobile Number +380 67 932 2588
The DFA can also be reached through its Facebook page.
Russia's assault, which started Thursday last week, is the biggest on a European state since World War II, threatening to upend continent's post-Cold War order.
Locsin, flew to Poland to welcome the repatriates who boarded bus from Lviv.
Accompanying the group from Lviv is Ambassador Leah Basinang-Ruiz who is in charge of the efforts from inside Ukraine.
The Filipinos were fed before taking 4-hour drive to Warsaw.
The evacuation of affected Filipinos to Poland is part of DFA's efforts to ensure safety of Filipinos in Ukraine amid conflict.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) reminded Filipinos in Ukraine to exercise caution and to maintain communication with Philippine Embassy team in Lviv or the Consulate General in Kyiv should they require any assistance.
The DFA said those who need repatriation assistance are advised to contact the Philippine Embassy in Poland through the following contact details:
Email: (warsaw.pe@dfa.gov.ph)
Emergency Mobile Number +48 604 357 396
Office Mobile Number +48 694 491 663
Philippine Honorary Consulate General in Kyiv, Ukraine
Mobile Number +380 67 932 2588
Meanwhile, those who need repatriation assistance near the Moldova and Romania border are advised to contact the Philippine Embassy in Budapest through the following contact details:
Hungary
Budapest PE emergency hotline
+36 30 202 1760
ATN Officer Claro Cabuniag
+36 30 074 5656 (mobile)
+63 966 340 4725 (viber)
Moldova
Consul Victor Gaina
Mobile number (also WhatsApp no.(sad) +37369870870 or email addresses: victor.gaina@phconsulate.md or consul@phconsulate.md
The DFA can also be reached through its Facebook page: Log in or sign up to view
The ambassadors of France and European Union to the Philippines warned public that impact of Russia-Ukraine crisis will reach globally, including Philippines.
At an online forum hosted by the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP), EU ambassador Luc Veron said Russia's invasion of Ukraine has unpredictable consequences especially as the world is still reeling from COVID-19 pandemic.
"Although far away in Europe, what happens there matters for the Indo-Pacific," said Veron. "Russia is committing an unacceptable and non-justified act of aggression against European country, Ukraine, violating the most fundamental principles and rules of the international order and taking innocent lives."
French ambassador Michele Boccoz agreed, saying that aside from effect on prices of food and fuel, the crisis is also affecting Filipinos, citing cases wherein Filipinos were directly unsettled in recent weeks.
"Last Friday in the Black Sea, a Filipino crew member was wounded after a rocket hit a Japanese-owned ship, where it was working along with 20 fellow Filipino colleagues…in Odessa, another bomb hit another cargo vessel with 11 Filipino crew members on board," Boccoz recalled.
"It is a situation with far-reaching effect, affecting the world far beyond Europe…by this, of course, I mean to include Indo-Pacific region…it does not take long to realize ongoing crisis will affect quickly, and maybe the hard way, the lives of Filipinos, as well as other people of every continent around the world," she said.
Several Filipinos have already evacuated from Ukraine as Russian troops continue to launch military offensives.
The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs is ready to help Filipinos who wish to be repatriated.
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