Overcoming difficulties caused by fresh bombings of key
infrastructure in Lebanon, the International Organization for
Migration (IOM) successfully brought home a third group of
Filipinos from the conflict-affected region today.

The third IOM-chartered flight arrived in Manila around 7 a.m.
carrying 445 passengers from the Syrian capital, Damascus, where
the group had been taken following their evacuation from
Lebanon.

The flight, which was originally set to arrive in Manila on 6
August, had been delayed as Israeli bombing of roads and bridges
north of Beirut last Friday forced the postponement of an IOM
convoy evacuating more than 700 Filipinos and Sri Lankans by one
day.

Today’s group brings the number of people brought back
home to the Philippines by the Organization to more than 1,
350.

The first group of 450 Filipino returnees arrived in Manila on 2
August with another 455 Filipino nationals arriving two days
later.

“The evacuation of these 445 people was made more
difficult by security concerns on the ground these past few days.
So we’re very happy to have brought them back to safety and
to their homes and families as quickly as we have,” said Ida
Mae Fernandez, IOM project officer in Manila.

With no signs yet of an end to the conflict in Lebanon, IOM
expects to evacuate at least another 700 Filipinos this week from
Lebanon.

With funding assistance from the European Commission (EC) and
the US government in response to an IOM appeal - the
Organization has evacuated/returned nearly 5,000 people of various
nationalities from Lebanon in addition to providing them with
shelter, food and medical assistance.

IOM’s helpline number remains open for those needing
evacuation assistance to contact. The number is: +961 70 972
520.

IOM originally appealed for US$14 million to provide evacuation
assistance for 10,000 people from Lebanon and Syria and
humanitarian assistance for another 10,000 internally displaced
people in Lebanon, but these figures are currently being revised to
reflect an evolving situation.

For further information, please contact:

Ruffy Villanueva

Tel: +63.2.848.1260 to 63 loc.194

Mobile : +63.918.4211786

E-mail: "mailto:rvillanueva@iom.int" target="" title=
"">rvillanueva@iom.int

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