Even with the conflict in the Middle East apparently deescalating, government remains vigilant and will continue to closely monitor the situation in the region to ensure the safety of overseas Filipino workers.
Speaking to reporters, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles on Friday said that while news of lowered tensions in Iran was welcome news, government was still ready to mobilize the resources needed to evacuate OFWs if deemed necessary
“We pray for the best and prepare for the worst. When it comes to the lives of our OFWs abroad, we have to remain vigilant to ensure that we are ready to take them out of harm’s way if necessary,” stressed the Palace official.
According to Nograles, “President Duterte made it clear that our priority is to save our OFWs from the hell of war by temporarily relocating them to a safe haven before bringing them home.”
This, Nograles said, explains why Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Sec. Roy Cimatu was sent to Qatar to oversee repatriation efforts while Department of National Defense Sec. Delfin Lorenzana has been tasked to oversee the actual evacuation.
“There are 2.1 million OFWs in the Middle East; 1,184 in Iran and 2,191 in Iraq. They are, as of now, exposed to different levels of danger, which is why despite the easing of tensions in the region, mandatory evacuation will still be implemented for OFWs in Iraq,” explained Nograles.
The Palace executive said that aside from saving the lives of our OFWs, government was also confident that it could find alternative livelihoods for displaced OFWs.
“Sec. Bello said that one option is to find them work in other areas like Japan, Canada, Russia, Germany and China. If, however, they need to come home, jobs may be available in the booming local construction sector, which DTI Sec. Ramon Lopez said in a recent forum is projected to generate as many as 300,000 jobs annually,” said Nograles.
Nograles added that Sec. Lopez had admitted that there was a growing demand for skilled construction workers in the construction industry, as local companies faced stiff competition from employers abroad.
