DFA orders mandatory evacuation of Pinoys in Ukraine

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has ordered the mandatory evacuation of all Filipinos living in Ukraine amid the full-scale invasion of Russia.

In an advisory released on Monday, 7 March 2022, the DFA raised the crisis alert level in all areas in the war-torn country from Alert Level 2 (Restriction Phase) to Alert Level 4 (Mandatory Repatriation) — the highest tier in the criteria.

“Filipinos in Ukraine will be assisted by the Philippine Embassy in Poland and the Rapid Response Team, which are currently assisting Filipino nationals for repatriation and relocation,” the advisory reads.

“The DFA continues to closely monitor the political and security developments in Ukraine,” it said.

Latest report from the DFA showed 20 more evacuees have been repatriated from the Easter European country over the weekend.

They arrived in the Philippines in a group of three — the first group consisting of four Filipino adults, three Filipino-Ukrainian children with their three Ukrainian mothers. The second group included two Filipino adults, a Filipino-Ukranian child, and his Ukrainian mother while the third group was composed of three Filipino nationals from Kyiv who arrived in Manila on their own arrangements.