AROUND 100 Filipino workers in Sri Lanka have volunteered for repatriation after the financial crisis in the south Asian island further deteriorated into a political maelstrom with the ouster of its president Gotabaya Rajapaksa, a senior official of the Department of Foreign Affairs said.
DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Eduardo José A. de Vega told the BusinessMirror that the latest estimate on the number of Filipinos in Sri Lanka is now 700.
“About 100 of our kababayan wish to be repatriated. The rest, may mga pamilya na doon [they have families there]. So they will stay,” de Vega said.
The DFA is reactivating the quick response team to enable the repatriation of the 100 Filipinos from Sri Lanka.
The Philippine Honorary Consul in Colombo is also coordinating with the local authorities in Sri Lanka and the Filipino community leaders in Sri Lanka for the repatriation of the OFWs.
In May, around 25 Filipinos signified their intention to avail themselves of the government-sponsored repatriation after the financial crisis in the south Asian country triggered a shortage of basic goods, medication and fuel as well as rolling power outages.
Angry Sri Lankans took to the streets, with many blaming President Rajapaksa and his family for the situation. They called on the president to resign.
Crowds stormed Rajapaksa’s official residence at the weekend and set on fire the house of his prime minister. News footage showed protesters roaming through the palace and swimming in the president’s pool.
Rajapaksa fled the country on a military jet Wednesday. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was appointed as acting president.