Palace to Filipinos in Libya: ‘Value life over jobs’

Communications Secretary Herminio B. Coloma Jr. speaks before the country’s financial executives during the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines (FINEX) 2nd General Membership Meeting at the InterContinental Manila in Makati City on Wednesday (February 19). (Photo by Luisito L. Iglesias of PCOO- NIB photo)

MANILA — Malacanang has renewed its appeal to Filipino nationals in strife-torn Libya to heed the government’s call for immediate and mandatory evacuation.

In a press briefing on Tuesday, Presidential Communication Operations Office (PCOO) Herminio Coloma Jr.

said one can agree with the proposition that when lives at risk, one should value life and save it.

“Kasi kung mangangatwiran pa tayo samantalang nagpuputukan na at nagkakamatayan na doon sa paligid natin at ayaw pa rin natin sumunod doon sa panawagan na mandatory repatriation at mandatory evacuation, tila masyado namang isinusugal iyong mahalagang buhay ng ating mga mamamayan,” he said.

The government already assured Filipino workers returning from Libya of new jobs or other means of livelihood in the Philippines or in other countries.

According to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), of the total 13,000 Filipino nationals in Libya, only about 800 have returned home despite an urgent call from the government to leave amid the escalating conflict there.