Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Silvestre Bello III on Wednesday said they are coordinating with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to prepare for evacuations if it becomes mandatory for Filipinos in Ukraine because of escalating tensions with Russia in the area.
Bello told DZRH that while there are no overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Ukraine, there are over 300 Filipinos there who have become residents.
"Wala tayong OFW doon, meron tayong mga Pilipino, so mga Pilipino ‘yan pero wala tayong OFW kasi wala tayong bilateral agreement in Ukraine," he said.
(We do not have OFWs there. We have Filipinos, so there are Filipinos but we do not have OFWs because we do not have a bilateral agreement in Ukraine.)
"Three-hundred eighty-eight lang ang ating mga Pilipino doon. And mostly mga resident na, nakapag-asawa na ng Ukrainian, nakapag-negosyo na, maganda ang business nila diyan," he added.
(There are only 388 Filipinos there. And most of them are already residents. They married Ukrainians, started livelihoods, and they already have good businesses there.)
He stressed that the Labor Department is already working with the Department of Foreign Affairs should evacuation become mandatory in the country.
"Nakikipag-coordinate kami sa Department of Foreign Affairs para matulungan sila kung saka-sakaling kailangan ng compulsory evacuation, ready tayong tumulong sa DFA," he said.
(We are coordinating with the Department of Foreign Affairs so we can help them so if compulsory evacuation becomes necessary, we are ready to help them with the DFA.)
Previously, the DFA said that they are already repatriated six Filipinos from Ukraine amid the escalating tensions.
Nations around the world are growing concerned over the situation of Ukraine, after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the deployment of troops to two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine, according to a report from Reuters.
Governments fear that the escalating tensions in the area could start a major war.
