THE Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said at least 63 Filipinos from Haiti will be repatriated soon due to the deteriorating security situation in the Caribbean island nation.
The voluntary repatriation phase will take effect after the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) hoisted an Alert Level 3 in Haiti.
In a statement on Sunday, DMW Officer-in-Charge Hans J. Cacdac said they are now considering chartering a flight to bring home the Filipinos in Haiti.
He said there are 115 Filipinos in Haiti.
Authorities are carefully planning the repatriation efforts in Haiti since no flights are coming out of the country, while the land travel to its capital Port-au-Prince is also discouraged due to violent gang activities.
To date, he said, “there is no report of any Filipino affected or injured by the ongoing security crisis.”
Cacdac said concerned government agencies are now coordinating with Ambassador to US Jose Manuel “Babe” Romualdez and Honorary Consul General Fitzgerald Oliver James Brandt and Filipino community leader Bernadette Villagracia for the repatriation efforts in Haiti.
Tensions in Haiti escalated following the resignation of Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry upon the demand of gangs led by Jimmy “Barbecue” Cherizier, a former police officer.
Cherizier rejected international demands for the creation of an electoral road map to restore peace in Haiti.