PH readies possible evac plan amid Iran-Israel unrest

The Department of Migrant Workers placed all its offices in the Middle East on heightened alert following orders from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to protect the welfare of over 2 million Filipinos working in the region as tensions between Israel and Iran continue to escalate.

Undersecretary Bernard Olalia on Saturday said the DMW and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) are ready to respond should the conflict spread, including the possible evacuation of overseas Filipino workers if necessary.

This as Israel’s defense minister warned Saturday that “Tehran will burn” and its residents pay dearly if Iran continues its missile strikes against Israeli civilians.

“If (Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali) Khamenei continues to fire missiles toward the Israeli home front – Tehran will burn,” minister Israel Katz said.

Olalia said the DMW is closely monitoring the situation not just in Israel and Iran, but across the entire region.

“The Department of Migrant Workers is now on heightened alert. All front offices, especially the Migrant Offices in Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, and other countries in the Middle East, because they are affected by the unrest,” he said.

Labor attachés and staff have been placed on 24-hour duty, all leaves have been suspended, and emergency hotlines have been activated for continuous operations, he added.

The government said it remains in close coordination with embassies and partner agencies in the Middle East.

The Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv has activated its crisis management team to enable quick response amid the developing security situation in the Middle East.

“The Embassy urges the Filipino community to follow the Israel Defense Force Home Front Command’s security guidelines and the Embassy’s safety advisories, as well as to be alert and ready to act,” the embassy said.

For emergency assistance, the Philippine Embassy in Israel may be reached 24/7 at its emergency hotline at +972 54 4661188 and email address: telaviv.pe@dfa.gov.ph.

The Department of Foreign Affairs earlier said no Filipino has been reported hurt in the trade of air strikes between Iran and Israel.

Based on the latest DFA data, there are 30,742 Filipinos in Israel and at least 1,180 in Iran, most of whom are married to Iranian nationals.

On Saturday, Israel and Iran exchanged fire a day after Israel unleashed strikes that Iran said hit its nuclear facilities, “martyred” top commanders and killed dozens of civilians.

Iran has hit back with waves of drone and missile strikes, with a barrage of dozens lighting up the skies over Jerusalem and Tel Aviv overnight, killing three people and wounding dozens.

Following decades of enmity and conflict by proxy, it is the first time that Israel and Iran have traded fire with such intensity, with fears of a prolonged conflict engulfing the region.

Israel launched its surprise attack on Iran early Friday, only days before Iran and the United States had been due to hold a sixth round of talks on the Islamic republic’s nuclear program.

The operation – dubbed “Rising Lion” – has since killed Iran’s highest-ranking military officer, Mohammad Bagheri, and the head of the Revolutionary Guards, Hossein Salami, among other senior generals.

On Saturday, the Israeli military said it had Tehran in its sights after strikes on dozens of missile launchers and air defenses in the area around the Iranian capital.

“The way to Iran has been paved,” the military’s chief of staff and air force chief were quoted as saying in a statement.

The military “is proceeding according to its operational plans, and (Israeli air force) fighter jets are set to resume striking targets in Tehran,” it added.

Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations said 78 people had been killed and 320 wounded in Israel’s first wave of strikes on Friday.

Iran called on its citizens to unite in defense of the country as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged them to rise up against their government.

Air raid sirens and explosions rang out across Israel through the night, with many residents holed up in bomb shelters until home defense commanders stood down alerts. With AFP

Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline “Philippines raises alert in Middle East offices as Israel-Iran conflict escalates.”