Senator Risa Hontiveros urged Malacañang to avoid complacency amid worsening hostilities between Israel and Iran, and to prepare for the potential impact of armed conflict on millions of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the Middle East.
Hontiveros warned that the “rapidly escalating conflict” could affect not only the estimated 29,473 Pinoys in Israel and 1,184 in Iran, but also the wider Filipino population of about 2.2 million in the Middle East – especially after Iran’s recent threat of retaliation against American facilities or personnel in multiple countries throughout the region.
There is no room for complacency.
“The whole of government must prepare measures to safeguard OFWs in the region. Milyon-milyon ang Pilipinong maapektuhan kung sakaling lumala ang krisis sa Middle East. There is no room for complacency. Ano na nga ba ang kahandaan ng pamahalaan? May plano na nga ba para iligtas ang napakaraming OFW?” the veteran legislator asked.
The seasoned lawmaker also asked if the alert level system being relied upon by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to warn OFWs in Israel and Iran is still adequate “given the almost daily escalations in violence and disruption in the two countries.”
The DFA, which issues warnings ranging from Alert Level 1 (signs of internal disturbance) to Alert Level 4 (mandatory evacuation and repatriation), has currently declared Alert Level 3 (voluntary repatriation) in Iran and Israel.
“While it is important for the Pinoy community to remain calm, sana hindi tayo mag-e-evacuate kung kailan huli na ang lahat.”
“Ang sabi ng DFA, hindi pa idineklara ang Alert Level 4 at hihintayin pa daw ang recommendation ng mga ambassadors. Meanwhile, many other European and Asian countries are already evacuating their citizens through remaining air and land routes. While it is important for the Pinoy community to remain calm, sana hindi tayo mag-eevacuate kung kailan huli na ang lahat,” the lady senator stressed.
She then called on the DFA and the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) to ensure that contingency plans are in place and that sufficient resources for mass evacuation, transport and care of hundreds or thousands of OFWs are ready, so that these plans could be implemented at a moment’s notice.
Hontiveros then emphasized that given the potential deadly and destructive effects of the Iran-Israel conflict, the government should make the safety of OFWs in the Middle East “an urgent national priority”.
“Unahin natin ang kaligtasan ng ating mga OFW. Huwag tayo maging kampante at huwag natin balewalain ang panganib,” she stressed.
“Kung hindi, napakaraming kababayan natin ang maapektuhan at malaking panibagong krisis ito para sa buong bansa,” Hontiveros concluded.
