RP bans deployment of OFWs in S. Korea

While the government has not yet cautioned Filipinos against traveling to embattled South Korea, a deployment ban has been issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in connection with the ongoing unrest in the Korean Peninsula.

Malacañang yesterday confirmed that sending overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) bound for South Korea has been temporarily suspended upon the instructions of President Aquino as the government continues to assess the situation.

This developed even as Aquino implied the other day that he finds “convincing” the expectations conveyed to him by all quarters involved in the issue that the longstanding conflict between the North and South Koreas would not escalate into a worst-case scenario.

The deployment ban order was released by DFA Undersecretary Esteban Conejos in cooperation with the officials of the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) and Philippine Overseas Employment Association (PoEA) which was affirmed later on by deputy presidential spokesman Abigail Valte.

“The decision to hold the employment of workers was a result of the government team’s decision upon the President’s instructions to assess the situation (in the Korean Peninsula) continually and take the corresponding action,” Valte said in a text message that was relayed to reporters.

Nevertheless, she said they are still hoping that the tensions will ease between the estranged Korean nations at this point.

The Palace official reiterated

that the government remains prepared in the event the situation in there necessitates the evacuation of Filipinos there.

Valte also clarified that the exact number of Filipinos who are currently in South Korea is at 46,000 including undocumented persons.

“President Aquino’s order is to test the evacuation plan (and check) what else should be reviewed and if there is anything that has to be changed. So if and when the need arises, our countrymen won’t be left behind and they will be evacuated properly. But, as of now, that remains the status of our contingency plan and hopefully we would no longer go to the extent of implementing it,” Valte implied in a statement over the government radio.

In Cebu City, Vice President Jejomar Binay has assured the relatives of Filipinos working in South Korea that the government will respond quickly if the conflict in the Korean Peninsula escalates into a full-blown war.

Binay, who is also the presidential adviser on overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) concerns, said he has talked with the management of Cebu Pacific to ask for help in pulling the OFWs out if the military tension in the peninsula worsens.

He said he received a positive feedback from the airline company.

Last Friday, Aquino instructed the DFA to coordinate with the Japanese government through its ambassador, Makoto Katsura, in ensuring that test runs will be undertaken just in case the evacuation of Filipinos becomes indispensable.

He also disclosed that a budget is being prepared by the government in anticipation of the unexpected events that may still unfold. He mentioned that a C-130 aircraft and a Navy ship may be utilized for rescue and evacuation efforts to Filipinos if necessary.

“Our closest point of evacuation is about 50 kilometers from Japan. If we’re going to bring them (Filipinos in South Korea) to the Philippines, it’s a four-hour trip one way and our capabilities to do it on just the assets of the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) are one C-130 plane and one LSS ship. The LSS ship takes ten days so we’re talking to the carriers to make sure that they are ready,” Aquino said.

The Philippines has formally joined South Korea, the United States, Australia and other nations on Friday in condemning the artillery attack that North Korea has launched these past few days.

The US and South Korea’s other allies have even sought the help of China, North Korea’s economic lifeline, to rein in its unruly neighbor but their efforts remain unsuccessful heretofore as the Chinese only gave such calls a cold shoulder. Aytch S. de la Cruz with PNA