Thread by @PHinSyria

For the first time in history, the Filipino Workers Resource Center (FWRC) Shelter of @PHinSyria shall be fully emptied out of all the wards -- they just landed at @MIAAGovPH on 26 June 2021.
1/18

@DFAPHL @teddyboylocsin @slyarriola
#DFAForgingAhead
facebook.com/PHinSyria

@DFAPHL @slyarriola This successful repatriation is the fulfillment of the marching orders of the SFA @teddyboylocsin in his 26 Jan 2021 tweet, “I am emptying the shelters of all wards—no later than next flight out; sending a team to do it. It won’t happen again.”

2/18

Today, 22 survivors of trafficking in persons (TIP) & illegal recruitment (IR) from Syria arrived in PH after lengthy diplomatic negotiations with gov of the Syrian Arab Republic & filing cases vs illegal recruiters + human traffickers, under the helm of CDA @VidaVerzosa.
3/18

@VidaVerzosa “Sa wakas, uuwi na po kami. Akala namin wala na kaming pag-asa makauwi pero salamat po sa DFA at sa Philippine Embassy sa Syria,” (at last, we are coming home. We already lost hope that we can be repatriated but we are thankful to @DFAPHL & @PHinSyria,"

4/18

@VidaVerzosa @DFAPHL This was the tearful comment of one of the FWRC wards, after recalling that they were in the shelter for nearly three years due to the difficulties in securing their exit visas from the employers and the recruitment agencies.

5/18

@VidaVerzosa @DFAPHL In their send-off conversation with CDA @VidaVerzosa prior to their flight, the wards tearfully expressed their gratitude for all the help of @DFAPHLOffice of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs (OUMWA) Usec. @slyarriola and the Embassy for assisting them.

6/18

@DFAPHL CDA @VidaVerzosa requested in her previous meetings that a Presidential Pardon be granted to the Filipinas so they will no longer be liable for their cases (i.e. false charges of theft). Thus, the processing of their exit visas were expedited after these negotiations.

7/18

@DFAPHL She is also thankful to Immigration Department under the Ministry of Interior of Syria because this is akin to a gift from Syria to Republic of the Philippines for strengthening of the bilateral relations & their desire for cooperation to improve the conditions of workers.
8/18

@DFAPHL The repatriates were also continually assisted by the Embassy in holding the illegal recruiters in the Philippines, Malaysia, Dubai, and Syria accountable through the assistance of the @poeaNews, @iacatnews, and @oplecenter @susanople Blas Ople Policy Center.

9/18

@DFAPHL @poeaNews @iacatnews @oplecenter @susanople These agencies and orgs under the @iacatnews Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) helped the Overseas Filipinos (OFs) to file and prosecute cases of Illegal Recruitment and Trafficking in Persons against the persons who perpetrated this crime against them.

10/18

@DFAPHL @susanople They were also given free legal assistance of volunteer lawyers + law students from @AteneodeNagaU College of Law via Dean @ninarances & @ahrctweets of @AteneoLawSch who assisted them in preparing their Complaint-Affidavits + evidence packets vs the criminal syndicates.

11/18

@DFAPHL @susanople @AteneodeNagaU @ninarances @ahrctweets @AteneoLawSch Evidence packets were compiled + notarized by the Embassy.

After the five-member team of diplomatic staff were sent to the Embassy, OFs were also assisted in filing cases in Syria against the anomalous transactions of the recruitment agencies and abusive employers ...

12/18

@DFAPHL ...through the cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Justice, and the Office of the Presidential Advisor of the Syrian Arab Republic.

13/18

@DFAPHL This historic repatriation is part of the commitment of the @DFAPHL Department of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines, as an IACAT @iacatnews member agency, to arrest, investigate, and prosecute all human traffickers and illegal recruiters ...

14/18

@DFAPHL @iacatnews ...combat the heinous crime of trafficking in persons, and assist the trafficking survivors in granting opportunities for a new life and a new hope, upon their arrival in the Philippines.

15/18

@DFAPHL @iacatnews The DFA has referred the cases of the trafficked Filipinas to @dswdserves and @OWWAofficial @HansLeoCacdac as part of the community reintegration program once they arrive at their local government units after their quarantine period.

@DFAPHL The Embassy has vowed to pursue strengthening the rule of law and achieving the @UN Sustainable Development Goal 16 on peace, justice and strong institutions, consistent with our obligations under the @globalcompact Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration

17/18

@DFAPHL #PHinSyria believes we are stronger when we work together, so we thank the gov of the Syrian Arab Republic for the excellent partnership with different Ministries. The Embassy is committed to @DFAPHL programs on protecting the rights of distressed Overseas Filipinos.

END

18/18