A group of 263 female Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who were
sheltering in the compound of the Philippine embassy in the Syrian
capital Damascus today returned to the Philippines with help from
IOM.
Most of the women, who arrived at Manila's Ninoy Aquino
International Airport on an IOM-chartered Jordanian Airlines
aircraft at 07.30 today, are former domestic workers fleeing the
ongoing conflict in Syria. 
Following a request from the Philippine government, IOM worked
closely with the Philippine embassy in Damascus and the Syrian
authorities to evacuate the migrants. The Syrian authorities
subsequently agreed to waive all exit fees and contractual
penalties for the group.
Since the Syrian conflict began in March 2011, some 2,150 OFWs
have returned home from Syria, according to the Philippines’
Department of Foreign Affairs. Some 500 travelled with IOM
assistance. An estimated 5,000 remain, of whom 1,000 have already
asked for repatriation assistance.

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IOM has extensive experience in evacuating Filipinos and other
foreign nationals from countries undergoing political and other
crises. Last year, it assisted in the repatriation of Filipinos
from Egypt and Libya during the Arab Spring.  Previously it
helped to repatriate Filipinos from Lebanon in 2006 and from
countries neighboring Iraq during the first Gulf War in 1991.
 
IOM’s emergency response activities in Syria and surrounding
countries are funded by the UN Central Emergency Response Fund
(CERF) and IOM’s Migration Emergency Funding Mechanism
(MEFM). The Organization has appealed for USD 22.22 million to
continue its work in the region.
For more information please contact 
Kent Madarcos
IOM Manila
Tel. +63 2 2301757
Email:
"mailto:kmadarcos@iom.int">kmadarcos@iom.int