The first batch of Filipino workers who survived the 7.0 magnitude earthquake in Haiti last January 12 arrived back home Friday morning.

Only six of the 70 Filipinos evacuated from Haiti made it in the first batch as most of the repatriates are still waiting for US visas to be approved in the Dominican Republic, while some are waiting in Los Angeles for the next available seats with Philippine Airlines because all flights are fully booked.

The six were Rucelle Cruz, Sonny Manning, Rosario Santos, Michaela Santos and spouses Gregorio and Donna Bacurin.

Overseas Workers Welfare Administration chief Carmelita Dimzon was at the airport to personally welcome the repatriates, whose flight arrived at 5:45 a.m. last Friday.

One of the survivors, Rosario Santos, said she was lucky to have left the gasoline station she was in when the earthquake struck.

According to Santos, she and her niece Michaela were filling up at the gas station when the ground started to shake violently. Santos said she was able to move her car forward just before the structure collapsed, pinning other cars.

"Napakaswerte namin ng pamangkin ko at nakaalis kami duon (gas station) nung lumindol," she said.

Donna Bacurin, a 43-year-old office worker in Port-au-Prince, was also lucky to be able to crawl out of the 5-storey office building that was destroyed by the quake, although she was wounded.

Bacurin, who arrived in a wheelchair, recounted that she was at the third floor of the building when the earthquake hit.

"Umalog ng malakas yung building namin. Hindi naman ako makatakbo pababa kaya nagtago na lang ako sa ilalim ng lamesa," she said.

Bacurin said big chunks of debris fell on her, causing big cuts on her arms and feet.

"Naipit ako pero kaya ko pa ring gumapang. Gumapang ako hanggang may nakita akong butas na maliwanag. Dun ako nakalabas sa butas at gumapang pababa ng building."

Five of Bacurin's Haitian officemates were not as lucky. They all died after being pinned down by slabs of concrete.

Bacurin's husband, Gregorio, was at their third floor apartment when the earthquake struck. "Gumuho yung apartment namin pero nakatalon ako palabas sa bintana. Nagkagalos ako pero hindi naman grabe," he narrated.

Gregorio said he rushed to his wife's office to check on her, and was just too happy to see her alive.

"Nung makita kong sugatan ang asawa ko, itinakbo ko agad siya sa hospital kaso walang doctor na makapag asikaso sa kanya kasi nga punung puno sila," he narrated.

Gregorio said it took them two days before they were able to have his wife's wounds treated by volunteers who were attending to the injured on the streets.

Rucelle Cruz, a garments factory manager in Port-au-Prince, escaped the earthquake unscathed. However, she asked Philippine government officials to help the other Filipino repatriates who are still stranded at the Santiago Airport in the Dominican Republic as their visas to transit through the US have not yet been approved.

The second batch will arrive on Saturday morning aboard another PAL flight from LA. However, the exact number is not yet known as the repatriates are still waiting for available seats.

Dimzon for his part said the Filipinos from Haiti will be arriving in three batches instead of earlier reports that they will be arriving in two batches. She said the number of evacuees per batch will depend on airline seat availability and their schedules in obtaining transit visas.

The second batch of Filipinos numbering 18 will be on the same flight this Saturday, January 30.

The OWWA also announced that officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Labor and Employment are still finalizing arrangements for the third batch.

The OWWA also announced that the six Filipinos who arrived Friday will receive assistance in going home to their respective places and in getting livelihood.

Dimzon, however, could not yet say how much the OWWA can provide to the returning Filipinos. She also said agency will provide stress debriefing and psycho-socio counseling to help the repatriates overcome the trauma they have suffered during the earthquake.

"Alam natin ang traumatic experience na dinanas nila sa malakas na lindol sa Haiti at maraming aftershock na sumunod. Di madali sa kanila na kalimutan ito," Dimzon said.

The OWWA said that it advanced the repatriation costs of the returning Filipinos.