DFA calls for mandatory repatriation in Gaza as Alert Level 4 raised By GISELLE OMBAY, GMA Integrated News

The Philippines has raised Alert Level 4 in Gaza City, meaning evacuation for Filipinos there is now mandatory, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced Sunday. With this, the DFA called for Filipinos to leave Gaza and vowed to assist them in crossing Egypt. There are 131 Filipinos in Gaza, and at least 78 of them are now situated near the Rafah border crossing near Egypt. "All the rest have left northern Gaza or Gaza City, which is expected to be the main site for hostilities," the agency said. DFA Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega said at a press conference that raising the alert level to 4 was done in preparation for the possible ground offensive of Israeli forces against the Hamas militants in Gaza, according to a Super Radyo dzBB report of Luisito Santos. In a message on Sunday night, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" MArcos Jr. also called for the evacuation of Filipinos. "We are committed to making every possible effort to bring our kababayans out of harm's way and reunite them with their families back home. We will continue to provide updates on the situation," he said. Hamas launched the biggest attack on Israel in years on October 7, firing rockets and deploying gunmen to several towns, prompting the Israeli government to declare a state of war. Israel then launched retaliatory strikes on Gaza, with the death toll on both sides having exceeded a thousand and still continuing to rise. Alert Level 4 is raised when there is a large-scale internal conflict or full-blown external attack. Under this alert level, the national government undertakes mandatory evacuation procedures. DFA earlier raised Alert Level 3 on Thursday, which means voluntary repatriation. Three Filipinos were confirmed killed in the war between Israel and Hamas, while three others remain missing. President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. said Wednesday that the Philippines stands with Israel following the deadly attacks by Hamas. The DFA also said the Philippine government continues to work on the repatriation and will provide updates on developments. —with Sherylin Untalan/KG/BM, GMA Integrated News

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

POPCOM, gagamit ng ‘digital platforms’ para pagtibayin ang mga ugnayang pampamilya

Mas pinalalawig ng Komisyon sa Populasyon at Pagpapaunlad (POPCOM) ang adhikain nitong pagpapalaganap at pagpapabuti ng pakikipag-ugnayan ng mga nakakatandang Pilipino sa kanilang mga anak na nagdadalaga at nagbibinata. Nitong Setyembre 21, ang POPCOM ay nagsagawa ng isang “parent-teen talk webinar” gamit ang Zoom, kung saan ang isang “interactive program” ang nagbigay ng naaayon na kaalaman at kasanayan sa mga magulang, habang tumulong ito sa mga anak na teenager na maabot ang kanilang buong potensyal. Hinikayat din nito ang mga nanay at tatay na sumali sa malayang usapan, lalo na sa mga usapin ukol sa sex at sekswalidad, na nakikitang makakatulong upang bumaba ang mga bilang ng mga pagbubuntis sa hanay ng mga kabataan. Maaaring mapanood ang webinar sa https://youtu.be/lZ9jrJCjYas. Ayon kay Ikalawang Kalihim (Undersecretary) Juan Antonio A. Perez III, MD, MPH, “ang webinar ay naging isang tagapag-simula at ‘padaluyan’ ng pag-uu
Read more

UP Diliman Professors Share Scientists’ Procurement Struggles at Senate Hearing

By Harvey Sapigao Senate hearing of the revised procurement law (Photo credit: Senate of the Philippines) College of Science (CS) Dean Giovanni Tapang held up a little white device as he finished his presentation. “This is a ₱150,000 component,” he described. “Isa lang gumagawa nito sa buong mundo, pero ang hirap pilitin sila na magregister sa PhilGEPS,” he continued, referring to the requirement that foreign companies must first register to the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) before they can sell products to local scientists. Marine Science Institute (MSI) Deputy Director Dr. Irene Rodriguez explained that the small device is a resin that filters metals in water. “May budget tayo,” she said, “pero ang problema ko ay ‘yung resin na ito.” This and other bottlenecks brought about by the procurement law, or the Government Procurement Reform Act (RA 9184), slow down research and development in the country. UPD leaders were invited to the Senate he
Read more

Gaza war rages into fourth month as Blinken tours Middle East Adel Zaanoun with Ilan Ben Zion in Jerusalem, --- Agence France-Presse

The Israel-Hamas war raging in Gaza entered its fourth month on Sunday as the army again pounded the besieged Palestinian territory and US top diplomat Antony Blinken was back in the region seeking to avoid a wider escalation. Israeli airstrikes overnight and early Sunday killed at least 64 people in the Hamas-run Palestinian territory, said its health ministry. It said two journalists were killed when their car was struck. The ministry, medics, and witnesses identified them as Mustafa Thuria, a video stringer for Agence France-Presse, and Hamza Wael Dahdouh, the son of Al Jazeera's bureau chief in Gaza who earlier lost his wife and two other children in an Israeli strike. Israeli bombardment also claimed other civilian lives in the southern city of Khan Yunis and in the Rafah area near the Egyptian border, where many of the territory's displaced people have sought refuge, AFP correspondents reported. Relatives were mourning the dead at Khan Yunis' European Hospital, am
Read more