MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) confirmed that there are no Filipinos hurt or affected due to ongoing protests in Indonesia.
DFA Spokesperson Angelica Escalona said that so far, the Philippine Embassy in Jakarta and the Philippine Consulate General in Manado has not received reports of Filipino casualties in Indonesia, but advised them to “observe precautionary measures.”
“Patuloy po ang mga protesta sa Jakarta at iba pang siyudad sa Indonesia. The Philippine Embassy in Jakarta and the Philippine Consulate General in Manado have advised Filipinos to observe precautionary measures such as staying indoors and avoiding crowd,” Escalona said during a recent interview on Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon.
“Ayon sa Embahada, so far, wala pa pong Pilipino na naapektuhan sa mga protesta at wala pa rin pong lumapit sa Embahada o Konsulado upang humingi ng tulong,” she added.
Escalona mentioned that there are approximately 6,000 Filipinos in Indonesia, close to 1,800 are in Jakarta. Most of them are professionals working as teachers, managers, accountants and engineers, and are being “well taken cared for” by their employers.
When asked if the DFA will release a travel advisory, Escalona stated that there are some areas that are “calm” and “business as usual” in Indonesia, so there is no travel advisory yet for those planning to travel to Indonesia, but the Department is continuously monitoring developments in the country.
She added that the Philippine government, including the DFA, is prepared to extend assistance to Filipinos who may need it and reminded the public to always remain alert, monitor local news, avoid protests areas and regularly check the social media accounts of both the Philippine Embassy in Jakarta and the Consulate General in Manado for any updates.
Women holding up brooms and placards shout slogans during a protest against lawmakers' perks and police brutality, brandishing brooms as a symbol of their calls for reform, outside the Indonesian parliament building in Jakarta, Indonesia, September 3, 2025. REUTERS/Willy Kurniawan
Led by students, workers and rights groups, last week's protests over police violence and state spending priorities spread across the world's third-largest democracy after a police vehicle hit and killed a motorcycle taxi driver.
The demonstrations have at times turned violent. Rights groups said 10 people have died and over 1,000 people were injured in incidents of looting and rioting. Rights groups have condemned the use of force by security forces.
Meanwhille, Indonesian authorities have detained over 3,000 people in a nationwide crackdown, New York-based rights group Human Rights Watch said on Thursday.
President Prabowo Subianto has said the military and police would stand firm against violent mobs, and that some of the unrest bore the signs of terrorism and treason.
(With reporting by Stanley Widianto; Editing by Saad Sayeed / REUTERS)
