The Philippine Air Force (PAF) on Sunday assured its readiness to deploy planes in support of possible government-led operations to rescue Filipinos from conflict-stricken Israel.
“We are ready to respond in any eventuality that our air assets are needed through our inter-agency efforts for evacuation,” PAF Spokesperson Col. Ma. Consuelo Castillo told Manila Standard.
Castillo also explained that their C-130 aircraft are on stand by for such evacuation activity. The Philippines Air military unit is always tapped for overseas reinforcement when it comes to repatriation.
Last October, the PAF also assured the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ (AFP) capabilities when the country conducted massive evacuation in Lebanon following the October 7 Hamas attack in Israel.
“The PAF is a force provider for AFP-directed missions. If in case called upon by higher headquarters to assist in the evacuation/repatriation of Filipinos from conflict areas overseas, the PAF is capable for such missions using our heavy airlift aircraft such as the C130,” Castillo said.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Embassy in Israel has convened its crisis management team, bringing together key embassy officials and representatives from the Migrant Workers Office of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), to review contingency measures as deadly airstrikes send jitters in the country and across the region.
Philippine Ambassador to Israel Aileen Mendiola-Rau confirmed that previously identified shelters for Filipinos have been reactivated and essential goods have been prepositioned across various locations in Israel.
She said they convened a meeting to “review the contingency plan” and assess the situation based on latest developments on the ground. They discussed the purchasing of essential goods that can be distributed to Filipino communities in different locations across Israel.
