KORONADAL CITY (MindaNews / 1 March) — The provincial government of Sultan Kudarat on Sunday urged its constituents working in the Middle East to be vigilant, and assured them of assistance should they need it following the attack launched by the United States and Israel against Iran on Saturday.
Gov. Datu Pax Ali Mangudadatu also called on his constituents to strictly follow the advisories issued by Philippine embassies or consulates in countries in the Middle East affected by the conflict.
“Your safety is our paramount concern. Remain on alert, avoid areas with conflict, and always open your communication lines with your families and authorities,” he said in a statement in Filipino.
Mangudadatu said the provincial government is closely monitoring the development in the Middle East, especially those involving residents from Sultan Kudarat province.
Lanao del Sur Gov. Mamintal “Bombit” Alonto Adiong Jr., meanwhile, urged constituents to pray for the safety of Filipinos in the Middle East.
“Nawa’y patuloy silang gabayan at protektahan ni Allah subhana wa taala, at makauwi sila nang ligtas sa kanilang mga pamilya (May Allah the Most High continue to guide and protect them, and they can go home safely to their respective families),” he said in a statement posted on the provincial government’s Facebook page.
Adiong said he is pushing for a dialogue, understanding, and respect.
The United States and Israel launched a major attack on Iran on Saturday, with President Donald Trump calling on the Iranian public to “seize control of your destiny” and rise up against the Islamic leadership that has ruled the nation since 1979, the Associated Press (AP) reported.
The strikes opened a stunning new chapter in US intervention in Iran and marked the second time in eight months that the Trump administration has used military force against the Islamic Republic, it said.
Tensions have soared in recent weeks as American warships moved into the region. Trump said he wanted a deal to constrain Iran’s nuclear program at a moment when the country is struggling at home with growing dissent following nationwide protests, AP reported.
The immediate trigger for Saturday’s strikes appears to be the unsuccessful latest round of nuclear talks. But they also reflect the dramatic changes across the region that have left Iran’s leadership in its weakest position since the Islamic Revolution nearly half a century ago, it added.
Iran retaliated by firing missiles and drones targeting Israel and then striking US military installations in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and United Arab Emirates, various international media outlets reported.
Mangudadatu said the provincial government is ready to assist OFW constituents affected by the latest conflict in the Middle East.
Jonix Paniagua, manager of Sultan Kudarat’s Public Employment Service Office (PESO), said that relatives of two OFWs in an undisclosed Middle East country reached out to him as early as 5 a.m. Sunday.
In a phone interview, Paniagua, whom Mangudadatu designated as the provincial focal person for constituents who will be caught by the conflict in the Middle East, said the provincial government is prepared to get in touch with the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) should their OFW constituents need assistance.
He added that the provincial government has been providing immediate ₱10,000 cash assistance to distressed OFW constituents.
Paniagua does not have the immediate data on how many residents in Sultan Kudarat are working in the Middle East, saying they directly go or deal with the DMW or the OWWA.
A bakeshop owner here, who requested anonymity, said many of their patrons from the neighboring town of Lutayan, Sultan Kudarat have relatives working as domestic helpers in the Middle East, where Islam is the predominant religion.
Lutayan is a Muslim-dominated town in a province with a majority Christian population. (Bong S. Sarmiento / MindaNews)
