Fasttrack repatriation of Pinoys in Libya — Magsaysay

Zambales 1st District Rep. Mitos Magsaysay is appealing to the government to fasttrack the repatriation process of Filipinos who are still stuck in Tripoli amid the escalation of violence in the Libyan capital as rebels try to take down the administration of Muammar Gaddafi.

“With over a thousand casualties and over 500 injured, we cannot leave the welfare of our kababayans to chance. It is imperative that the government repatriate them at the first opportunity,” she said.

To the government’s credit, Magsaysay lauded the efforts of the DFA and the Embassy in personally going to the hostile areas to establish contact with the Filipinos still stranded in these areas.

“However, they should maximize their powers of persuasion in convincing Filipinos of the clear and present danger of staying in the Middle Eastern country as there is no assurance of their safety once the war breaks out and the rebels lay siege on the capital with earnest,” she explained.

Magsaysay also reiterated the importance of family members in the Philippines in convincing relatives abroad to come home.

“If their families were able to talk to them, this might change the minds of those who have decided to stay and take their chances due to financial considerations,” she said. “The government has already committed to help displaced workers and their safety is more important right now – to get them home unharmed is also what their families would want.”

The government has already announced that there will be 400 passenger seats on a chartered ship reserved for Filipinos as a result of their coordination with the International Organization for Migration.

However, only less than 90 out of 1,600 Pinoys stuck in Libya have expressed their intention to leave the strife torn country.