Filipinos based in Jeddah were assured that while everything is calm in the Kingdom, they should still be informed on the recent security developments and contingency plans in the Middle East.
The Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah on January 10 convened a meeting with the Filipino community in the western region of Saudi Arabia regarding the Philippine government’s contingency plans in view of recent security developments in the Middle East
There are an estimated 200,000 Overseas Filipino Workers in this region of Saudi Arabia, with a majority of them based in the Makkah area. Around 20,000 are in the southwestern regions of Asir, Najran and Jizan, which border Saudi Arabia with Yemen to the south.
During the briefing, Consul General Ed Badajos shared the recent updates on the security situation in the western region, and reassured the community of the Philippine government’s readiness to repatriate or provide other forms of assistance to those who are affected by the conflict between the United States and Iran. He also urged everyone to remain alert and vigilant despite the calm situation.
Vice Consul Lemuel Lopez, head of the Consulate General’s Assistance to Nationals Section, discussed the Consulate’s Contingency Plan. He informed everyone of the “exit points” and “convergence sites” should the security situation deteriorate and reach a point of mandatory evacuation of OFWs in the western region.
“Although the Contingency Plan lays down certain basic protocols and procedures, it is a work in progress that can benefit a lot from the community’s inputs to ensure that it reflects the realities on the ground,” he said.
Some members of the Filipino Community who were already in Saudi Arabia during previous instances of heightened tensions in the Middle East shared their own experiences and assured the group of the relative safety of the Kingdom compared with other countries in the region.
