The Department of Foreign Affairs Manila is closely monitoring the situation in the Middle East after the United Arab Emirates and four other countries cut diplomatic ties with Qatar.
“Any rivalries among the nations in Middle East will definitely affect business and will definitely affect the number of our OFWs (overseas Filipino workers) there,” DFA Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano told reporters during his inspection of DFA’s passport office on Monday.
“We take everything seriously, we live in an interconnected world, so the rivalries and friendship of every country will have really an effect on us,” he added.
But the DFA chief said the situation had no immediate implication yet on the Philippines as OFWs barely cross Middle East’s borders.
Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Bahrain and Yemen have broken off diplomatic relations with Qatar over alleged terrorism links.
photo credit: Marvin Germo
