Priest Hits Slow Evacuation of OFWs in Libya

MANILA, March 3, 2011— Despite efforts by the government to bring home the overseas Filipino workers in Libya, a Franciscan priest said its action is ‘too slow.’

Based on the reports relayed to them by their priests in Libya, Manila-based Fr. Pete Montellana said the situation there is getting worse causing fright among OFWs.

It also appeared, he said, that the Philippine Embassy there can’t provide the necessary assistance to the OFWs trapped in the troubled country.

“Based on the information we received from our Franciscans (based in Libya) it appeared that the assistance rendered by the government was slow. It was really slow,” said Montellana.

The missionary made the statement Thursday over church-run Radyo Veritas although the government claimed it is doing significant progress in its repatriation program.

“That’s not true. They should make if faster. We, in the Franciscan community, are urging them to speed up the giving of assistance to the OFWs,” he said.

He expressed concern that the situation could get worse if the Gadaffi administration would arm its civilian population.

Montellana also said that the Filipinos had to fend on their own on how they could rescue themselves.

One of the priests in the area also reported that the OFWs are experiencing food shortage.

Montellana said: “Those (Filipinos) who are staying in the desert were forced to leave the area because of scarcity in food.”

“In fact, they said that the OFWs in Tripoli limited their food consumption and eating only one meal a day,” he said.

The priest admitted that bringing the Filipinos out of Libya has been difficult, especially those who are staying in the desert because they were the ones who were left behind by their employers.

The Order of Friar Minors (OFM) had been providing assistance to Filipinos in Libya for the last 17 years.

Montellana said that the bulk of the Filipino population in Libya is living in Tripoli.

“If I am not mistaken there are about 9,000 OFWs in Tripoli. There are also thousands of Filipinos in Benghazi,” he said.

Source: http://www.cbcpnews.com/?q=node/14853

Filipinos Seek Refuge at Tripoli Catholic Church

MANILA, Feb. 25, 2011—An unspecified number of Filipinos sought refuge inside a Catholic Church in Libya as protest actions against the government escalate in the country.

Fr. Hermilo Vilason, a Franciscan Missionary and chaplain to Filipino migrants in Libya reported that since Feb. 21, they’ve been awakened by gunfire, “at times sporadic and at times continuous.”

They have also heard of helicopters hovering overhead but could not see them as they preferred to stay inside the church.

“Bishop Giovanni Innocenzo Martinelli told us to stay inside the church rather than be put in danger outside,” Vilason said. According to him, only few vehicles have been plying the streets of Tripoli since Feb. 21.

The priest said they have nowhere to go because only two in the group speak Arabic.

But he is optimistic that they will remain safe inside the church.

“Besides, nobody since 1971 dared to hurl stones or create any trouble within the church compound,” Vilason explained.

He said the bishop believes their fate is in God’s hands and would only ask for prayers for their continued safety.

Relatives of OFWs working in Libya and other middle-eastern countries have criticized the Philippine government for the alleged neglect of their loved ones.

The Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila, however, has already sent some of its staff to work for the safe exit of Filipinos in their areas.

The Apostolic Vicariate of Tripoli was established in 1630 and was renamed Apostolic Vicariate of Libya in 1894.

The country has 4.5 million Libyan citizens with 1.6% or roughly 70,000 as Roman Catholics, mostly migrant workers from various Asia countries. To date, there are 26,000 overseas Filipino workers in Libya. (Melo M. Acuna)

Source: http://www.cbcpnews.com/?q=node/14780