Overseas Workers Welfare Association Administrator Arnell Ignacio led a five man bound for Cairo, Egypt to help Filipinos caught in the crossfire of warring military forces in the region.

According to Ignacio, they will proceed to the border of Sudan and Cairo, Egypt where there are reports of Filipinos having a hard crossing the border as a 72 hour ceasefire is set to expire.

“Kami na magdadala ng mga tubig, pagkain at financial assistance sa kanila. We will just reassure them na pati mga pamilya nila at mabibigyan ng assitance dahil alam mo naman yan, nagaalala yan na di sila makapag padala sa pamilya nila,” Ignacio said.

Ignacio said they formed a tracker team that will locate the stranded OFWs in Sudan. To expedite the tracking, they set up a website where Filipinos can register and provide their location.

He explained, “You register your name and then paki-check yung I’m not a robot para makita kung nasaan kayo at yung susunod na link that’s where we will see you, yung sudan.owwa.gov.ph/map labas bandera ng Pilipinas. We’ll click that flag and then immediately your name will come up at makikita natin inyong exact position. Now kung ikaw ay lilipat, iregister mo lang ulit.”

He added that while helping the Filipinos cross the Cairo border is their main priority, bringing them back to the country remains an option.

“Option nila yan kung sila ay uuwi na or we will find out kasi most of the time nagpapalit ng isip kapagka wala na naririnig putukan pero rest assured pag sila ay nakarating na sa border na yan malayo layo that is really far from Khartoum safe na safe na sila dyan,” Ignacio said.

Around 400 Filipinos have been evacuated from Sudan amid a shaky 72-hour ceasefire between warring military forces, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs

The DFA on Wednesday night raised the alert in Sudan to Level 3, allowing voluntary repatriation or evacuation. Filipinos fleeing Sudan without their passport or IDs would still get aid from the Philippine government, and their documents will be taken care of when they reach the border.

DMW Secretary Susan Ople and Undersecretary Hans Leo Cacdac are currently in Cairo, Egypt to lead the distribution of welfare assistance to evacuated OFWs.