MANILA — No Filipino has been adversely affected following the United States and Israel’s bombing of Iran, and its countering attacks on US' military bases in several countries in the Middle East, the Department of Migrant Workers said Sunday, March 1.
“Sa ngayon, tayo ay meron nang malawakang koordinasyon in terms of ating pakikipag-ugnayan sa ating mga embahada all across the region, Israel and the Gulf states... Thus far, walang napaulat na Pilipino na nasaktan or adversely affected nitong nakikita natin sa TV o sa media na mga atake,” DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac told DZMM Teleradyo.
He said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered to determine the whereabouts of the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) on the ground, following the rising geopolitical tension in the region.
Cacdac assured that a contingency plan is in place and the Philippine government is prepared for possible repatriation of OFWs.
“We stand ready, including those who are affected by the flight cancellations, minomonitor din natin,” he said.
The New NAIA Infrastructure Corp. announced Saturday night that precautionary airspace restrictions have been imposed in some parts of the Middle East, prompting flights to be cancelled, rerouted or delayed.
Cacdac reminded Filipinos in Israel of the safety procedures imposed by its government, including seeking immediate shelter at the sound of the siren from Israel's Home Front Command.
Filipinos in need of assistance in Israel may contact the Philippine Embassy hotline 24/7 at +972544661188.
The Migrant Workers’ Office for the State of Israel may also be contacted through +972507622590.
In the Philippines, families who want to know the whereabouts of their loved ones in the affected countries may reach out to the DMW and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration’s hotline, 1348.
US and Israel launched strikes against Iran on Saturday, with Israel's public broadcaster reporting that supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been targeted, as the Islamic republic retaliated with barrages of missiles at Gulf states and Israel.
Iran responded by launching missile attacks on multiple countries hosting some of American troops deployed across the Middle East, including Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Syria, United Arab Emirates. — With reports from Agence France-Presse
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