1,400 Filipinos in Iceland safe

by | Apr 21, 2010 | Announcements, Headlines, National News, World

SOME 1,390 Filipinos in Iceland are safe despite a volcanic eruption which continues to affect air travel in parts of Europe.

Philippine Ambassador to Oslo, Norway Elizabeth P. Buensuceso reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) that Filipinos living and working in Iceland reside far from the Eyjafjallajokull volcano which erupted last April 14.

The eruption sent a massive cloud of volcanic dust thousands of feet into the air which has spread from the United Kingdom to continental Europe.

Iceland is located in the North Atlantic Ocean. The Eyjafjallajokull volcano is located in southern Iceland.

Ambassador Buensuceso said the Philippine Embassy in Oslo is closely coordinating with Honorary Consul Priscilla Zanoria who is in touch with the Filipino Community in Iceland.

Meanwhile, the 12 Filipinos who were earlier stranded in Frankfurt, Germany are now in the UK after intercession by the Philippine Consulate General in Frankfurt.

Consulate officials immediately coordinated with the headquarters of the German Federal Police in Potsdam after it was alerted by the DFA about the stranded Filipino travellers at Frankfurt International Airport. The Filipino travelers were issued transit visas so they could fly to London. (PIA-Bohol)

DFA urged OFWs to vote early

by | Apr 20, 2010 | Announcements, Election 2010, World

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) urged Sunday Filipino migrants to vote early and not wait for the May 10 deadline for overseas absentee voting (OAV), citing about 30,000 Filipinos abroad who have already cast their votes for this year’s polls.

“We are encouraging registered overseas absentee voters to exercise their hard-earned right of suffrage, so they can be involved in deciding who will compose our next set of national leaders come July. We also urge them to vote now, in order to avoid last minute queues at the polling places,” DFA Undersecretary for Special Concerns and OAV-Secretariat (OAVS) chairman Rafael Seguis urged.

Seguis disclosed that there were almost 30,000 Filipinos who have exercised their right to vote in the first week of overseas absentee voting, which started on April 10 and will commence on May 10 in 93 Philippine Embassies and Consulates General around the world. (PIA-Bohol)