TWELVE days after Russia invaded Ukraine, the Department of Foreign Affairs has ordered the mandatory evacuation of all remaining Filipinos in the Central European state.
There were 181 Filipinos who registered in the latest informal census by the Philippine Embassy in Warsaw, although initially the estimate was around 380. Then, around 200 seafarers were stranded in various ports in southern Ukraine.
As of Monday, there are 93 Filipinos, Ukrainian spouses and Filipino-Ukrainian children who left Ukraine; 57 of them were repatriated or are en route to the Philippines. Last Sunday, 17 Filipinos, including 4 Filipino-Ukrainian children and their 4 Ukrainian mothers, arrived in three batches on board Qatar Airways and Emirates Airlines flights.
Meanwhile, the Hungarian Embassy in Manila said Hungary remains open to Filipinos and other foreigners in Ukraine who want to evacuate there.
In an advisory posted at their website, the Philippine Embassy in Warsaw said they have raised the contingency level to Alert 4—which requires all Filipinos to evacuate—“due to the rapidly deteriorating security situation in Ukraine.”
“Under Crisis Alert Level 4, the Philippine government undertakes mandatory evacuation procedures at government expense,” the Embassy added.
The Filipinos in Ukraine will be assisted by the Philippine Embassy in Poland and the Rapid Response Team based in Lviv city in western Ukraine, near the Polish border.
Filipinos who wish to evacuate to other countries near Ukraine like Hungary, Moldova and Romania should coordinate with the Philippine Embassy in Hungary.
Hungary said they would like to clarify reports that their borders with Ukraine are closed to refugees.
“We would like to emphasize that the borders of Hungary remain open to Ukrainian and third-country nationals, and they are granted entry on humanitarian grounds. We have welcomed and assisted over 130,000 persons as well as provided support to international partners’ evacuation efforts,” the Hungarian Embassy said.
The phone numbers that Filipinos in Ukraine can reach:
■ Philippine Embassy in Poland
— Emergency hotline +48604357396 (Viber, Whatsapp)
■ Assistance to nationals +48694491663 (Viber, Whatsapp)
■ Philippine Embassy in Hungary—Emergency hotline +36302021760
■ ATN officer Claro Cabuniag
—mobile +36300745656
—Viber +639663404725
■ Honorary Consul in Moldova Victor Gana—Mobile, Whatsapp +37369870870
■ email victor.gaina@phconsulate.md, consul@phconsulate.md