DFA: Evacuation plan for OFWs in Israel is all set

12/30/2008

MANILA, Philippines – Amid an upsurge of violence between Isareli and Palestinian forces in the Gaza Strip, Malacañang on Tuesday said the Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv is preparing for possible evacuation of overseas Filipino workers from danger zones.

In a text message to reporters, Press Secretary Jesus Dureza said the repatriation of Filipinos affected in the armed conflict is part of the government’s contingency plans that will be implemented “as required by the situation on the ground."

“(The) Philippine government has contingency plans, including possible evacuation of Filipino nationals from Gaza, and ready to execute them (plans) if and when needed," Dureza said in a text message to reporters.

At least 31,000 Filipinos are working and living in Israel, with a hundred more in Palestinian territory.

Dureza said the Philippine Embassy in the Israeli capital is “in close coordination with concerned authorities," adding that it “has the resources needed to implement the contingency plans."

Last Saturday, Israeli warplanes responding to a rocket fire from the Gaza Strip, pounding dozens of security compounds across the Hamas-ruled territory in unprecedented waves of airstrikes.

On Monday, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon demanded an immediate ceasefire in Gaza Strip and urged Middle East and world leaders to do more to help end the Israeli-Hamas conflict and promote political dialogue.

The Associated Press reported that as of Monday, the Israeli bombardment of Gaza has killed at least 360 people — including 62 women and children according to the UN — and wounded some 1,400. - Sophie M. Dedace, GMANews.TV

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

PCG: China’s bullying in West Philippine Sea undermines international law --- Ghio Ong - The Philippine Star

MANILA, Philippines — Letting China sustain its aggression in the West Philippine Sea would make other countries doubt the strength of international law currently being asserted by the Philippines, Commodore Jay Tarriela of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said. “Allowing China to blatantly disregard the established rules-based order threatens the very foundation that we all depend on,” he wrote in a post on X last Tuesday. He added, “If we permit this, countries worldwide may forget why this order was created in the first place. Nations could begin to doubt the significance of adhering to international law if powerful bullies can easily violate it.” Tarriela also said defiance of other countries to a rules-based order would result in the prevalence of cruelty. He wrote, “This could lead us back to a time when might makes right, undermining the global structures that keep human greed, savagery and barbarism in check. Such a scenario would not only invite challenges from aggressive ...
Read more

Social media seen as cause of rising intermarriages --- Helen Flores - The Philippine Star

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) sees social media as the main reason for the rising number of Filipinos marrying or becoming partners of foreign nationals. In 2022, the CFO recorded 6,854 marriages or partnerships with foreign nationals, a 40.1 percent increase from the 4,891 “intermarriages” recorded in 2021. “First of all, what we see in the increase in the marriage rate of Filipinos or Filipinos with foreign partners is because of social media, (that) is number one; matchings; letters, introduction of their friends,” CFO chairperson Romulo Arugay said at the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon public briefing yesterday. Arugay said the agency has been registering a high number of intermarriages since 2007, but the figures went down during the COVID-19 pandemic. From over 6,500 Filipinos who married foreign nationals, only 600 are men, he said. Most of them are married to Americans, Japanese, Germans, Canadians and Australians, Arugay said. Arugay warned Fi...
Read more

China ships maintain presence in key West Philippine Sea areas --- Michael Punongbayan - The Philippine Star

STAR / Michael Varcas MANILA, Philippines — While Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) have decreased in number, they have maintained a presence in three key land features where naval and coast guard ships have intensified operations in the past seven days, according to the Philippine Navy. Latest monitoring by the Philippine Navy showed armed ships of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) maintaining a menacing presence around the grounded BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal, Panatag Shoal and Escoda Shoal. According to the Philippine Navy, there are 17 Chinese military vessels and 28 China Coast Guard (CCG) boats spotted inside the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) between Sept. 23 and 30, or one vessel more than in the previous week Sept.17-23. Five of the warships were seen roaming around the vicinity of Escoda Shoal, along with 10 CCG vessels and 12 maritime militia vessels (MMVs). There are also two PLAN ships in Ayungin Shoal as well as 10 CCG boats and 12...
Read more