Gov’t ready to repatriate Filipinos, grant aid amid Israel-Iran war

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. (File Photo: Bongbong Marcos/Facebook)

By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos, Philippine News Agency

MANILA – The Philippine government is all set for the repatriation of Filipinos from Israel and Iran, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said Wednesday.

In a media interview in Quezon City, Marcos said the government was able to look for an alternate route to ensure the safe return of the displaced Filipinos from the two Middle East countries.

“Ang naging problema natin sa pag evacuate sa kanila ay dahil sa giyera, maraming sarado na airport. Kaya’t naghahanap tayo ng ruta kung saan sila mailabas (The problem we had in evacuating them was that because of the war, many airports were closed. So we are looking for a route where we can get them out),” Marcos said.

“But we have been able to do that and the first batch, in fact, (Department of Migrant Workers) Secretary Cacdac is already on his way to Jordan para ma-coordinate (to coordinate) both the evacuees from Israel and evacuees from Iran,” he added.

Marcos said the repatriation of affected Filipinos is not mandatory.

Despite this, the government continues to monitor their situation and provide assistance to those who want to be repatriated.

“We of course are watching our nationals both in Israel and in Iran and as a matter of fact, we have already contacted all our nationals and asked them if they want to be evacuated,” he said.

“We generally leave it to each individual, to each family to decide for themselves whether or not they feel safe or whether or not they would like to be evacuated.”

According to government data, around 92 overseas Filipinos have so far registered for voluntary repatriation, 82 of them before the April 19 Iranian attacks and 10 more after.

Oil price hike

Marcos also acknowledged that the impact of the ongoing Middle East crisis on the prices of oil is a “serious problem.”

He said the government would provide assistance to affected stakeholders.

“Well, again, we are starting already with the assumption that the oil prices will in fact go up and I cannot see how it will not. Because the Strait of Hormuz will then be blocked if it escalates. The oil cannot come out of its sources. So, the prices will certainly be affected,” he said.

“The subsidies that we have always given, fuel subsidies that we gave to, if you remember during the pandemic, lalong-lalong na ‘yung mga napapasada, ‘yung mga may hanapbuhay naman sila, binigyan nating (especially the drivers, we gave them) fuel subsidies. Now, we will have to do the same for those who are severely affected stakeholders by any instability in the price of oil,” Marcos added.