Filipinos living and working in the United States have been advised to exercise caution and obey government advisories as tensions rise in the Middle East after the U.S. struck Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend, Philippine Ambassador to the U.S. Jose Manuel Romualdez said on Monday.
“The US Department of Homeland Security, the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation), and local governments have already issued statements reminding the public to be cautious and alert because of the situation with Iran,” Romualdez said in an interview over radio DZBB.
Romualdez said the heightened alert is expected given the serious nature of the US’ first-ever deployment of a powerful bomb against Iran. The Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C. has not yet received any report that Filipinos have been adversely impacted by the situation.
“Definitely, this is something very serious,” the ambassador said. “Of course, it’s only proper for the US authorities to alert their citizens, not only here in the United States, but everywhere—especially there in the Middle East.”
“We tell our citizens that they should also be on alert,” he emphasized. “We ask them (Filipinos) to follow whatever the local officials (say), whatever alert or notice they give out to their communities” in the event that tensions in the Middle East spillover to US cities.
In major cities such as Washington, D.C. and New York, anti-war protests have been organized to condemn the U.S. government attacks against Iran, which many observers believe could trigger a wider regional conflict.
When asked if Filipinos should avoid crowded places, Romualdez said: “Just be careful. Of course, whenever you have something like this, especially in this particular case because this is very serious—this action taken by the US against Iran—they have to be on alert for any eventuality.”
The seasoned diplomat also noted that the U.S. State Department had already issued travel advisories, especially for the Middle East. Some American diplomatic staff in Tel Aviv and elsewhere in the region have been evacuated as a precaution.
Romualdez, meanwhile, reiterated the country’s commitment to peace and diplomacy amid the escalating tensions. “We definitely want a peaceful solution to everything,” he said. “We’re not interfering in a situation like this.”
“We always stay on the right side of just looking for a peaceful solution. And we’re always looking for a diplomatic solution. Even with our own problems in the Indo-Pacific, that’s also what we always aim for. We’re not looking for a fight,” he said.
Romualdez said they are monitoring the situation closely and waiting for further developments over the next couple of days or weeks to see if the conflict intensifies, before making an assessment if it will have an effect on the security commitments between longtime allies U.S. and the Philippines.
