The Senate's foreign relations committee on Friday will discuss a plan to temporarily give shelter to thousands of Afghans who are awaiting resettlement in the United States.
In an interview with another news outlet, Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel 'Babe' Romualdez said the country received a request from the US in October to temporarily host the Afghans.
Under the proposal, the Manila envoy said Afghans who had worked for the US government would be issued special immigration visas to be processed at a facility in the Philippines.
"The information that we so far have received is that there are about 50,000, which includes the families of the Afghan citizens who worked with the United States government," Romualdez said.
A schedule of Senate hearings for Friday noted that the Foreign Relations Committee would discuss "proposed temporary housing" in the country for Afghan applicants.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has yet to issue a statement on the said plans.
Tens of thousands of Afghans fled their country in the chaotic evacuation of August 2021. Many of those who had worked with the ousted Western-backed government arrived in the United States seeking resettlement under a special immigrant visa program.
But thousands were also left behind, waiting for their visas to be processed.
Afghanistan's Taliban rulers insist no harm will come to anyone who collaborated with Western powers or the former government and is encouraging those who have left to return and help rebuild the country.
*with additional report from AP
