THE Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has lowered the Alert Level Status in some regions in Ethiopia, one of the 10 richest countries in Africa, from Alert Level 4 Alert Level 2.
Under Alert Level 2, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) will only allow Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) with live employment contracts (balik-manggagawa) to go back to the six regions.
Included are the cities of Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa, Somali, Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples’ Region (SNNPR), Gambella, Harari and South West regions.
Under Alert Level 2 or the Restriction Phase, Filipinos in these regions are ordered to avoid unnecessary travel, avoid public places and to prepare for a possible evacuation.
The DFA, on the other hand, maintained the Alert Level 4 status in regions such as Tigray, Afar, Amhara and Benishangul-Gumuz in northern Ethiopia.
Alert Level 4 will be raised if there is large-scale internal conflict or full-blown external attack.
Under this Alert Level, the government of the Republic of the Philippines will implement mandatory evacuation procedures.
Filipinos in Ethiopia who are in dire need of assistance can coordinate with the Philippine Embassy in Cairo, Egypt.
Last November 2021, the DFA raised the entire Ethiopia to Alert Level 4 because of the worsening situation in security in the area following the conflict between the government and the rebels.