Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 8) — The rapidly escalating conflict between the United States and Iran is happening regions away from the Philippines, but the lives of millions of Filipinos are also put at risk.
Middle East is home to 2.1 million Filipino migrants and overseas workers. In Iraq — where the airstrikes and retaliatory missile attacks are happening — there are 4,200 Filipinos. 4,000 of these Filipinos are undocumented or irregular migrants. Meanwhile, there are 1,181 Filipinos in Iran, according to DFA’s Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers data as of June 2019.
Below is the timeline of how the conflict unfolded and how the Philippine government is responding:
January 3 – US President Donald Trump orders a drone strike in a Baghdad International Airport to “terminate” a top Iranian commander who was plotting “imminent and sinister attacks” on Americans. Killed in the airstrike were the head of the Revolutionary Guards’ Quds Force Qasem Soleimani, who leads the elite unit that handles Iran’s overseas operations, and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the deputy commander of Iran-backed militias.
Following the death of these two Iranian security officials, Iran vows harsh retaliation for the “act of war” and “state terrorism.”
Related: 5 things you need to know to understand the Iran-US crisis
January 4 – Philippines’ Foreign Affairs Department calls on Filipinos to avoid going to Iraq “until further notice” amid the growing conflict.
January 5 – President Rodrigo Duterte gathers his top security officials in an emergency meeting. He orders the military to prepare its air and naval assets for the possible repatriation of Filipino workers in the Middle East. Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. adds they are ready to bring home Filipinos who wish to leave Iraq.
January 6 – Duterte orders special envoy to the Middle East Roy Cimatu to fly to the region immediately to lay the groundwork for the evacuation of the hundreds of thousands of Filipinos in the conflict areas. Presidential Adviser on Overseas Filipino Workers Abdullah Mamao is told to head to Iran and Iraq to talk to the governments. He was asked to deliver an urgent message from Duterte to keep all Filipinos safe.
January 7 – Cimatu recommends to Duterte a mandatory evacuation of Filipinos in Iraq.
January 8 – The Philippine government orders all Filipinos living in Iraq, Iran, and Lebanon to return to their home country after the highest threat alert was raised in the country. Malacañang says evacuation is also an option, but repatriation remains the government’s “end goal.”
Iran launches more than a dozen missiles at two Iraqi bases that hold US troops. In a statement, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps says the attacks were “hard revenge” for the death of Soleimani.
Related: Congress ready to hold special session to tackle PH response to US-Iran conflict
Duterte tells government agencies to prepare for contingencies that will absorb displaced workers. He also asks Congress for a special session for standby fund.
Related: The evolving US justification for killing Iran’s top general
