OFWs on missile strikes near Saudi-Yemen border: 'Sanay na kami'

Missile strikes in the troubled Saudi Arabia-Yemen border have become so commonplace that some Filipino workers there have grown accustomed to it.
"Sanay na po. Hindi na po namin pinapansin," Arjayson Gutierrez, who works in a hospital near the border, told Kara David on News To Go on Tuesday.
Still, some Filipinos in the area — Gutierrez included — have expressed their intention to leave the place for good. 
"E-exit na nga po ako. Ilang buwan na lang po kasi matatapos na 'yung kontrata namin, lahat po kami siguro i-exit na. Hindi na rin po kami babalik dito," said Gutierrez.
Yemen descended into chaos in March when the Saudi-led coalition began air strikes to push back Huthi rebels who had seized Sanaa. More than 5,800 people have been killed and 27,000 wounded since then, according to the United Nations.
Gutierrez said due to the proximity of their workplace to the border, they were able to experience the bombings first-hand.
"Malapit na malapit po [yung lugar namin] kasi naririnig namin 'yung bombahan po dito. Halos 'yung mga missile mismo na gumuguhit sa ere kitang-kita po namin kung saan bumabagsak," Gutierrez said.
Gutierrez said he and his Filipino co-workers still intend to go home despite the Philippine Embassy's assurance that the conflict between Saudi Arabia and Yemen has not yet reached critical level.
"Last week pumunta dito yung Philippine Embassy. Ang sabi po sa amin yung war naman po ng Yemen atsaka Saudi ay 'di naman po gaanong critical. Under control pa naman daw ho kaya wala pang binibigay silang signal nag mag-evacuate," he said.

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