Evacuation Of Pinoys In Ukraine Underway

Amid heightened tensions in Ukraine on the brink of invasion, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said on Wednesday, Feb. 23, his agency will bring Filipinos there to the nearest place of safety in the quickest way possible and repatriate those who want to come home.

“Our chief and singular concern is to take out of harm’s way our fellow Filipinos in Ukraine and bring them to the nearest places of safety by the fastest possible way,” Locsin said. “Our offer to take Filipinos in Kiev is underway.”

Locsin said the Department of Foreign Affairs Office of Migrant Workers’ Affairs is spearheading the repatriation effort for Filipinos who want to be repatriated.

The Philippines is coordinating with governments that have common borders for the safe passage of Filipinos who will be evacuated.

The United States, United Kingdom and allies in Europe are responding to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s latest moves in the Ukraine crisis and condemning steps taken toward war as the “beginning of an invasion.”

United Nations Secretary General António Guterres said the latest developments in Ukraine are testing “the entire international system.”

He highlighted reports of increased ceasefire violations across the contact line and “the real risk of further escalation on the ground.”

According to the UN chief, the decision of the Russian Federation to recognize the so-called independence of certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions is a violation of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine.

He described Russia’s move as “a death blow” to the Security Council-endorsed Minsk Agreements, the fragile peace process regulating the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

In Manila, former foreign secretary Albert del Rosario called on Russia on Monday to respect the sovereignty of Ukraine and international law amid fears of a potential Russian invasion of the country.

Impact on trade

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is studying the possible impact of tensions in Ukraine on the Philippine economy, as it expects less direct impact on trade but that increasing prices of oil may lead to adjustments in prices of basic goods.

“Offhand [there will be] less direct impact given our small trade with Ukraine,” Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said in a Viber message to reporters on Wednesday, noting the country is ranked as the Philippines’ 40th trading partner with trade valued at only around $200 million.

He, however, said if the crisis worsens, disruption in the prices and supply chain of oil and key commodities like wheat, iron ore, as well as other uncertainties can impact global recovery efforts.

He said Philippine trade with Russia, meanwhile, is around 10 times larger than with Ukraine at around $2 billion.

He said nothing has changed so far with the country’s trade with Russia.

In an interview with dzBB on Wednesday, he said there would be no movement in prices of basic goods for now, and that the agency has not received requests for price increases so far.

Should there be requests submitted to the DTI for adjustment on suggested retail prices of basic goods, the agency would not just look at oil prices but also the prices of other materials be-ing used in production.

Economic fallout

The government must prepare for any possible economic fallout as well as security implications of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, presidential candidate Sen. Panfilo Lacson said yester-day.

Lacson, who chairs the Senate committee on national defense and security, said the Philippines should also call out Russia and join international efforts for peace even if “our voice is small.”

“Let’s not think that Ukraine, being far away from us, will not hit us. If there will be a full invasion, war, one of the first things that will be hit is our stock market because we have foreign investors. If the global stock market crumbles, we’ll be hit,” Lacson told reporters in Batangas where he and running mate Senate President Vicente Sotto III were campaigning on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Smart Communications Inc. is extending assistance to all Filipinos stranded in Ukraine amid mounting tensions in the country.

Smart said Filipinos in Ukraine would get free roaming data assistance.

“We are monitoring the situation in Ukraine and are ready to assist our kababayans. It is important to equip them with services to help them communicate and access information, especially during time of crisis,” PLDT Inc. and Smart president and CEO Alfredo Panlilio said.

Smart is giving almost 1,000 roaming customers in Ukraine free 1GB Gigaroam subscription valid for five days to help them place urgent calls and texts or to assure their families and friends of their safety.

Smart roamers in Ukraine can also get instant and free access to the network’s data roaming manager by going to gigaroam.smart.com.ph using their Smart roaming SIM. – With Louella Desiderio, Paolo Romero, Richmond Mercurio