Gov’t assures safety of Filipinos in Qatar after blast near PH Embassy

By Marita Moaje, Philippine News Agency

MANILA – Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said Filipinos in Qatar remain safe following an explosion just a few hundred meters from the Philippine Embassy in Doha on Tuesday.

In a news release Friday, Cacdac said he was en route to Qatar when the Israeli strike targeting Hamas in Doha occurred.

“The area, the building is about 300 to 400 meters away from our embassy, but everybody is safe, wala namang nasaktan o na-damage sa property (no one was hurt or property damaged),” he said.

“Ako mismo ay nakapunta sa lugar at nakita ko ang pinsala, ngunit tiniyak ni Ambassador Melicor na maayos ang kalagayan ng ating mga kababayan (I personally went to the area and saw the damage, but Ambassador (Mardomel Celo) Melicor assured us that our fellow Filipinos are doing well),” he added.

Cacdac expressed gratitude and commended the immediate response of Philippine officials led by Melicor, and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) headed by Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro, for securing the Migrant Workers Office (MWO) staff in Qatar, including Undersecretary Jainal Rasul Jr., who went to Doha ahead of the DMW delegation.

He shared that he met with the Filipino community in Doha Wednesday evening to reaffirm their safety and protection.

“Batay naman sa pakikihalubilo ko mismo sa mga OFWs natin doon, nag-Filipino community kami nung gabi ng a-diyes, ay maayos naman ang sitwasyon nila doon. So again, very good spirits, naka-alpas din dito sa pangyayari pero bagamat ganoon, tayo’y umaasa pa rin, nananalig pa rin na mananaig ang katahimikan kapayapaan (Based on my interactions with our OFWs there, we went to the Filipino community on the night of the 10th, their situation there is fine. So again, very good spirits, we are also relieved from this incident but despite that, we are still hopeful, still confident that peace and tranquility will prevail),” Cacdac said.

He said the reassurance given by the Embassy and the government’s visibility on the ground helped ease the concerns of the Filipino community in Doha.

Cacdac noted that the incident not only tested, but also highlighted the strength and unity of overseas Filipinos.

The DMW said it remains in close coordination with the DFA, the Embassy, and Qatari authorities to monitor developments and ensure the continued safety of the more than 250,000 Filipinos living and working in the Gulf state.

“Patuloy kaming nakikipag-ugnayan upang masiguro ang kaligtasan ng bawat Pilipino. Nananatili ang ating pag-asa at panalangin para sa katahimikan at kapayapaan, at para sa patuloy na kaligtasan ng ating mga kababayan sa Qatar (We continue to coordinate to ensure the safety of every Filipino. Our hope and prayers remain for calm and peace, and for the continued safety of our compatriots in Qatar),” Cacdac stressed.