Sen. Imee Marcos says the command post should be set up in Saudi Arabia instead of Qatar because most of our OFWs are Saudi-based.
Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu on Tuesday said that Filipinos in Iraq should be immediately evacuated due to tensions in the region due to a US airstrike in Baghdad.
According to her post on her offical FB page,
Evacuation of OFWs has always been with DFA, DOLE, and some PNP personnel trained by DFA. Before, once every 2 years we train people to do this. Sending the army will create more problems since they will not be allowed by the host government. Sec. Cimatu has experience but DFA is the prime mover since its resources are focused on dealing with foreign governments. And Cimatu knows this that is why he has met with DFA people. However, Sec. Locsin is not in the loop. He should be in charge!
I had before drawn up a contingency plan in case of war between Iran and Saudi. All posts have contingency plans. It’s just updating, if that’s needed.
Sen. Marcos is concerned about the welfare of the countrymen who are now trapped in the tension that is taking place between Iran and America.
According to Marcos, it is believed to be ineffective and likely to result in further alienation from sensitive discussions of the Iran and American conflict.
I heard Sec Cimatu is setting up a command post in Qatar. Not effective. Most of our OFWs are in Saudi. If he thinks Qatar is friendly to Iran then he isolates himself from the rest of the Middle East. We have an embassy in Iran. No problem talking to them. But with latest stand down of Trump no OFW will want to leave. Cimatu should go to Baghdad and talk to the Iranian government to give priority to Philippine request repatriation of OFWs.
Also a good PR for our government to show we are moving. There are only a few OFWs in Iraq and most of them are working for USA. No one of them will leave. The USA will take care of them. Hardly no OFWs in Iran. No need to go there.
President Rodrigo Duterte earlier given the mission to Sec. Cimatu to fly to the Middle East immediately to establish proper coordination with Iraq and Iran and set up the groundwork for the evacuation. Cimatu had been Duterte’s special envoy to the Middle East prior to being named DENR chief
According to Sec Cimatu, “plans are already being made for the evacuation, adding that he has also recommended the alert level in Iraq to be raised to four from alert level three. We have to move out immediately Filipinos out of Iraq. Because I believe that this could be the target, initially, dito sa US facilities inside Baghdad. “
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This focus on worry and fear of not having enough money, only attracts more of the same!
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