Smoke billows from the Shahran oil depot, northwest of Tehran, on June 16, 2025. AFP, file
MANILA — Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Erwin Tulfo Sunday said his office is coordinating with concerned agencies to provide assistance, including the immediate repatriation of affected Filipinos in the Middle East amid the series of airstrikes between the United States, Israel and Iran.
Tulfo said his office is coordinating with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) to assist the overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) in the Middle East.
The senator advised Filipinos in the affected areas to report their status and, if necessary, seek assistance from the Philippine embassies, which have already created procedures should they need to seek help.
The DFA is ensuring there will be exit points for the approximately 823 Filipinos in Iran, and the thousands of Filipinos in Israel, he added.
“In times like this, we must remain proactive, vigilant, and fully prepared to respond to the needs of Filipinos overseas who are on the brink of danger,” Tulfo said.
DMW earlier assured that no Filipino has been adversely affected by the rising geopolitical tension in the region.
Marcos Jr. orders DFA, DMW to ensure safety of Filipinos in Iran
US and Israel launched strikes against Iran on Saturday, with Israel's public broadcaster reporting that supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been targeted, as the Islamic republic retaliated with barrages of missiles at Gulf states and Israel.
Iran responded by launching missile attacks on multiple countries hosting some of American troops deployed across the Middle East, including Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Syria, United Arab Emirates. — With reports from Agence France-Presse
Iranian leader Ali Khamenei reported killed in US, Israel attack
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