No Filipinos in Israel and Iran want to come home, ‘they feel safe,’ says DFA

An elderly man pulls his cart on a street during the dusk in Jerusalem, Sunday, April 14, 2024. Israel on Sunday hailed its air defenses in the face of an unprecedented attack by Iran, saying the systems thwarted 99% of the more than 300 drones and missiles launched toward its territory. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

MANILA, Philippines — No Filipinos have so far signified their intentions to be repatriated amid the battle between Israel and Iran, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega told INQUIRER.net on Tuesday.

“None. They feel safe,” De Vega said in a text message when asked if there have been repatriation requests from Filipinos residing in the area.

“All our embassies have contingency plans in place,” he added.

READ: Philippines urges non-escalation of situation in Middle East

Data from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) showed that about 30,000 Filipinos are residing in Israel while at least 2,000 are in Iran.

The Philippine government earlier called for a non-escalation in the Middle East, particularly calling on all parties involved to “work towards a peaceful resolution of their conflict.”

“The Philippines has long advocated for all states to adhere to the principles of international law and to the peaceful settlement of disputes,” said DFA in a statement on Monday.

DFA’s remarks  came after Portuguese container ship MSC Aries — reportedly linked to Israel — was seized by Iranian forces on April 13.

The ship has 25 crew members, four of which are Filipinos.