MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Tuesday, August 20, said it has ordered the repatriation of Filipinos in Egypt as it raised crisis alert level 4 over the strife-torn country.

The Philippine government will shoulder the costs of the mandatory repatriation, the DFA said. A rapid response team arrived in Cairo last Saturday, August 17, to assist in the repatriation.

Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario raised this crisis alert level on Monday, April 19, after visiting Cairo for the second time in two weeks.

“Secretary del Rosario said that the marked deterioration of peace and order in Egypt, exacerbated by the ongoing political instability and grave security challenges in that country, make working and living there increasingly difficult and dangerous,” the DFA said.

Del Rosario advised Filipinos in Egypt to contact the Philippine embassy in Cairo as soon as possible, to avail of repatriation.

Filipinos may reach the embassy through the following numbers:

Trunk Lines: (+202) 25213062/64/65/51
Direct Lines: (+202) 2516 6217 / 25213045
Mobile Hotlines: (+2) 012 2743 6472 / 012 8247 6554
Fax No.: (+202) 2521-3048
Facebook: Cairo Philippine Embassy
e-mail: cairo: cairope@tedata.net.eg, cairo.pe@dfa.gov.ph

The DFA said up to 6,000 Filipinos live in Egypt, exposed to the rising tensions there.

On Monday alone, militants killed 25 policemen in the deadliest attack of its kind in years, as Egypt struggles to deal with violent unrest sparked by Islamist president Mohamed Morsi’s ouster. – with reports from Agence France-Presse/Rappler.com