Marcos: Secure OFWs Amid Airstrikes On Iran, Middle East
The President placed the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) on alert as tensions building up in the past weeks have escalated into full hostilities.
President Marcos ordered concerned agencies on Saturday, Feb. 28, to ensure the safety of Filipinos in the Middle East as the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran.
Marcos placed the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) on alert as tensions building up in the past weeks have escalated into full hostilities.
“In the meantime, the safety of Filipino citizens in Iran and in the Middle East is paramount,” Marcos said in a statement posted on his social media accounts.
“I have instructed the DFA and the DMW to take measures to determine their whereabouts in affected areas and to take immediate measures to ensure their safety,” the President said.
Based on recent reports, Middle East hosts an estimated 2.2 million Filipino workers, many of whom are based in Israel, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar and Bahrain.
Philippine embassy officials in Israel and in other countries affected by US assault on Iran are now advising Filipinos to stay indoors and remain ready to seek shelter.
The Philippine embassy in Israel said the entire country is under “essential activity status” which means that all schools are closed, meetings or gatherings prohibited, and all work suspended except for those providing essential services.
In Qatar, the Philippine embassy said it is advising Filipinos “to shelter in place until further notice” and to “continue monitoring the news and heed the advisories issued by local authorities and the embassy.”
The Philippine embassy in Bahrain issued similar reminders to Filipinos.
“Filipino nationals are advised to remain vigilant and exercise prudence at this time” and “ensure that important documents, such as passports and iqamas, are readily accessible,” the embassy in Lebanon said in an advisory.
“Remain at home and limit movement unless absolutely necessary. Maintain at least three days’ supply of food, water, medicines, and other essential items. Keep your communication devices charged. Avoid mass gatherings and crowded areas,” it further read.
The Philippine embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Philippine consulate general in Dubai and Northern Emirates have advised “all Filipinos in the UAE to remain calm and monitor official advisories and guidance from news and other reputable sources, including the UAE Government and the Philippine Embassy/ Consulate General.”
The DFA has yet to issue a statement or a general advisory for Filipinos in affected middle-eastern nations. – With an additional report from Michael Punongbayan
