Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana. FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of National Defense (DND) is ready to assist in the repatriation of Filipinos in Ukraine amid fears of “full-scale invasion” by Russia.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said his department is closely monitoring the situation in Ukraine.
“The Department of National Defense views the developments in Ukraine with the utmost concern,” Lorenzana said in a statement.
“We are monitoring the situation closely and are standing by to assist our other government agencies led by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in repatriating our citizens from Ukraine, if and when we are called upon to do so,” he added.
Lorenzana also expressed hopes that the situation in Ukraine “does not escalate beyond what can still be resolved through diplomacy and the international rules-based order.”
The DFA on Friday appealed to Filipinos in Ukraine to reach out to Philippine officials there so they can be accounted for and given assistance if needed.
The DFA said it has only accounted for 181 Filipinos in Ukraine so far.
Based on government records, there are 380 Filipino workers in Ukraine, overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Administrator Hans Leo Cacdac had said.
Six Filipinos have already been repatriated on Feb. 18 while 37 others are on their way to Ukraine’s western city of Lviv before entering Poland for their eventual return to the Philippines.
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