Govt has enough funds for repatriation of OFWs in Korea, Budget chief says

As tension continues to rise in Korea, the Department of Budget and Management reassured Filipinos in Korea that the government has enough funds for their repatriation if the need arises.

Budget Secretary Florencio Abad gave this assurance Monday as he said President Benigno Simeon Aquino III continues to monitor closely the situation in the Korean Peninsula.

“Meron tayong kahandaan na tumugon sa anumang contingency sa kasalukuyang tension na nangyayari sa Korea," Abad said in an interview on dzXL radio.

(We are prepared to respond to any contingency resulting from the tension in Korea.)

However, he did not give figures on how much the government expects to spend for repatriation if the need arises.

Tension in the Korean Peninsula escalated over the weekend as the United States and South Korea started military exercises.

Last week, North Korea shelled a South Korean island where four South Koreans, including two civilians, were killed.

North Korea insisted its attack was in self-defense, citing South Korea’s military exercises at the time near the Northern Limited Line.

On the other hand, he said Aquino continues to monitor the situation.

“Palaging mino-monitor ni Pangulong Aquino ang situation sa Korea (The president continues to monitor the situation in Korea)," he said.

Meanwhile, Philippine officials in Korea held a dry run of the contingency plans to be implemented if the situation worsens.

Radio dzBB reported Philippine special envoy Roy Cimatu led the dry run, including an escape route for Filipinos from Seoul to Busan.

The Philippine Embassy in Beijing has also been directed to look after the welfare of at least nine Filipinos in North Korea.

Last weekend, the government put on hold the deployment of Filipino workers to Korea due to the tension although Malacañang “clarified" this was not tantamount to a deployment ban. – VVP, GMANews.TV

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