OFWs in Libya told to 'hunker down'

Gov't set to undertake evacuation plan

MANILA, Philippines - The Aquino government on Wednesday urged Filipinos in critical areas in Libya to "hunker down where you are safe" as it waits for the "right opportunity" to come in and implement its evacuation plan.

Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Esteban Conejos said the evacuation plan can be carried out only if it is already safe to go around the violence-stricken country.

"It is dangerous to move inside Libya now whether inside Benghazi or in Tripoli or to move in between these two cities. In the event it is safe to move around in Libya, the government will execute an evacuation plan for our Filipinos there," Conejos said in a press conference in Malacañang.

Based on reports the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has been receiving, he said protesters have taken full control of Benghazi, while sporadic protests are ongoing in Tripoli.

Data from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) shows there are at least 26,000 Filipinos working in Libya.

Conejos said the number is "distributed almost evenly" between Benghazi and Tripoli.

He said "there is rampant lawlessness" in Benghazi, which is in the eastern part of Libya. Some protesters have raided work stations occupied by some overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

"Some have burned the buildings. There's looting ongoing. Personal items [have been] stolen," Conejos said.

He said some of the Filipinos affected by violence in the eastern part of Libya have evacuated to the Benghazi International Airport "where they are safe, along with other foreigners."

Conejos said that as of Wednesday, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has not received any reports of Filipinos injured in Libya.

Safe havens

Aside from the international airport in Benghazi, Conejos said there are 2 Filipino schools in the city that have been predesignated as temporary shelters for escaping Filipinos.

He added that Filipinos in Tripoli may run to a Catholic church and another Filipino school for safety.

Conejos, meanwhile, advised Filipinos in unsafe areas in Libya to remain indoors. He said Filipinos should go out and run to the predesignated safe havens only if they are sure that they will not be caught in the conflict between the protesters and security forces.

The DFA official, meanwhile, clarified that it has not raised the alert level on Libya to 4. He said Alert Level 3 remains in effect, which means Filipinos can opt for voluntary evacuation.

He said the Philippines is not yet ready to raise the alert level to 4, which would mean the forced evacuation of OFWs in Libya.

No one gets left behind

Conejos said that President Benigno Aquino III has made clear instructions that "we are not going to leave any body behind."

He said President Aquino has ordered the DFA and other relevant government agencies to pool their resources for the evacuation plan.

He added that the DFA was given strict instructions to use air, sea and land routes out of Libya during the evacuation.

Conejos reported that the Department of Labor and Employment has started meeting with airline officials in preparation for the massive evacuation.

He said they have already talked to Qatar Airways and the Philippine Airlines. He added that the DFA has asked the International Organization for Migration for help in the possible evacuation of the OFWs.

"We are going to deploy them and the instruction is to be ready to employ these modalities in the events the occasion calls for it," Conejos said.

Meanwhile, he said the Philippine government is also in close coordination with the OFWs' employers in Libya.

He said the employers, mostly big multi-national companies, have their own evacuation and repatriation plan for their employees, including OFWs.

source: abs-cbnnews.com