In the wake of rising tension between the United States and Iran, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has been ordered by President Rodrigo R. Duterte to prepare its air and naval assets which could be used in the evacuation of overseas Filipino workers in the Middle East should hostilities erupt in the region.
This, according to Department of National Defense (DND) spokesperson Arsenio Andolong in a message to reporters Sunday night.
SECURING OVERSEAS WORKERS. President Rodrigo Duterte convenes national security officials at the Malacañan Palace on January 5, 2020. During the meeting, the President discussed contingency measures to ensure the safety of Filipinos based in the Middle East amid tension between the United States and Iran. (Presidential Photo)
“The President has tasked the AFP to prepare its air and naval assets to evacuate and bring home our countrymen if and when open hostilities erupt in the Middle East that may endanger their lives,” Andolong said.
He said this order came after the Chief Executive called for an emergency meeting with DND Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, newly-appointed AFP chief-of-staff, Lt. Gen. Felimon T. Santos, Jr., commanders of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, Philippine National Police chief, and their principal staffs on Sunday afternoon.
The meeting, he said, was conducted to ensure the safety of Filipinos working in the Middle East especially those deployed in Iran and Iraq whose well-being could be endangered in the event of open hostilities.
“The sole agenda was how to ensure the safety of our countrymen in the Middle East especially those in Iraq and Iran as the tension between the US and Iran rises. There are 1,600 and 6,000 Filipinos in Iran and Iraq, respectively,” Andolong said.
Tensions escalated in the Middle East after top Iranian general Qasem Soleimani was killed in a drone strike in Baghdad, Iraq on January 3 which was reportedly ordered by US President Donald Trump.
Tehran vowed a fierce retaliation against those responsible for the death of Soleimani. (PNA)
Senator Christopher “Bong” Go is pushing for the passage of a measure seeking to create an executive department focused on addressing concerns of migrant workers following the recent repatriation of undocumented overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) victimized by illegal recruiters from the Middle East.
According to a statement on Friday, Go assured that a technical working group has been created to finalize the bill on the Department of OFWs (DOFW), which he expects to be approved before the year ends.
“Ingat po sa mga illegal recruiters. Huwag kaagad sumakay sa mga offers na alanganin. That’s why I’m pushing for the Department of OFWs, not only para sa documented na Pilipino na nasa abroad pero para sa mga undocumented (Beware of illegal recruiters. Don’t immediately accept sketchy offers. That’s why I’m pushing for the DOFW, not only for documented overseas Filipinos but also for those undocumented),” Go said.
“Kawawa sila. Hindi sila makauwi. Kung merong departamento na tututok sa ganito, ito na po ang lalapitan nila (They’re pitiful. They cannot go home. If there is a separate department focused on this issue, they would surely seek its help),” Go said.
Go filed Senate Bill 202, which seeks to address concerns of overseas Filipinos, such as the need to improve coordination among concerned offices in responding to the needs, particularly of OFWs.
The bill proposes that the following agencies and their powers and functions, funds and appropriations, records, equipment, property, and personnel will be transferred to the new department to be established: Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, Commission on Filipino Overseas, International Labor Affairs Bureau of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and National Reintegration Center for OFWs.
The bill also states that the powers and functions of the Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs under the Department of Foreign Affairs and all Philippine Overseas Labor Offices and their officials under DOLE will also be transferred to the new department. (PNA)
An earlier statement by Mar Roxas that he does not need the votes of Filipino Overseas Workers (OFWs) to win the May election will farther inflict a heavy toll on the already losing presidential bid of the standard bearer of the ruling Liberal Party.
Roxas made the boast at the height of the Laglag Bala (Bullet Planting) scandal at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
The racket involved corrupt airport employees and security personnel who “plant” live bullets in the luggage of airplane passengers who are later extorted when the ammunition is “discovered” by X-ray machines.
Many of the victims, who cough up large sum to get off being charged with violation, were OFWs.
The militant Migrante, an international association of OFWs, slammed Laglag Bala as part of the Aquino government’s incompetence in protecting the OFWs.
As the Aquino administration was being severely criticized for the airport racket that sparked negative publicity worldwide, Roxas, former Interior secretary of President Benigno Aquino, said OFWs knew it was a crime to bring bullets into the airport and should not be blaming the government if they are found to have ammunition in their luggage.
Roxas said OFWs have right to vote any candidate adding he would not shed a tear if they pick his rivals.
Roxas’ statement triggered a storm of criticism from the OFWs.
Migrante said it would launch a “Laglag Roxas” campaign worldwide to frustrate the presidential bid of Roxas.
Under the Overseas Voting Act, overseas Filipinos numbering more than a million registered by the Commission on Election (Comelec) are allowed to vote in the May election.
Migrante said the “Laglag Roxas” campaign generated strong support from the OFWs.
But OFWs may no longer need to push the campaign hard to stop a Roxas presidency.
Aggregated results of pre-poll surveys by prestigious pollsters Social Weather Stations (SWS), Pulse Asia and Laylo have already doomed Roxas’ presidential bid.
The survey results showed a statistical tie at third place between Roxas (20%) and Vice President Jejomar Binay (19%).
Top running Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte leads the race with 33% against second placer Senator Grace Poe’s 22%.
Start of absentee voting in the consulate in Jeddah KSA. Total Votes cast 846. Duterte got 732 votes or 86.5%
MAR ROXAS WILL PAY DEARLY FOR EARLIER SAYING THAT HE DOES NOT NEED THE VOTES OF THE OFWs TO WIN THE MAY PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. THE MILITANT GROUP MIGRANTE, REPRESENTING ABOUT 1.5 MILLION PINOY OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS (OFWs) HAS WAGED A BOYCOTT CAMPAIGN AGAINST ROXAS. TODAY IS THE START OF THE OVERSEAS ABSENTEE VOTING.
ROXAS COOLING HIS HEELS AT A HONG KONG PARK DURING A VISIT FOR A CAMPAIGN RALLY THAT WAS RECENTLY ABORTED DUE TO LACK OF AUDIENCE. A PINAY WORKER AT RIGHT APPEARS NOT TO KNOW THE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE OF THE LIBERAL PARTY
The racket involved corrupt airport employees and security personnel who “plant” live bullets in the luggage of airplane passengers who are later extorted when the ammunition is “discovered” by X-ray machines.
Laglag Bala as part of the Aquino government’s incompetence in protecting the OFWs.
DURIAN POST BUSINESS & NEWS DIRECTORY 