Philippine Consul General Marford Angeles on Tuesday evening clarified that a viral emergency guide circulating among Filipinos in Dubai did not originate from the Philippine Consulate or Embassy, amid rising regional tensions linked to the Israel-Iran conflict.
In a message response to a WhatsApp inquiry—sent to a contact close to The Global Filipino Magazine—about the document titled “Emergency Prepping Guide for Filipino OFWs in Dubai”, Angeles firmly stated, “The above did not come from either the Consulate or Embassy po.”
The document urges Filipino expatriates to prepare for possible disruptions by storing weeks’ worth of supplies, assembling a go bag, downloading offline maps, and identifying alternative exit routes such as Dubai to Oman by land. It also suggests using offline messaging apps like Zello or FireChat in case of communication outages.
While the guide is filled with survivalist advice for crisis scenarios, Angeles warned that such content could inadvertently spark public anxiety. “Let’s encourage our friends not to share this. We might be misconstrued as spreading alarm, when even the UAE or the Philippines has not issued any related advisory,” he said.
He stressed the importance of vigilance but reminded the public not to act on unofficial or speculative information. “It is good to always be vigilant… pero kung wala naman advisory, let us not get ahead of official announcements.”
The Consul General urged Filipinos to rely only on verified sources. “Better to always monitor the official FB and websites of PH embassy and consulate, and from the UAE and Dubai government,” he added.
As of this writing, no formal emergency advisory has been issued by either the Philippine or UAE governments in response to the conflict. However, recent escalations—including missile strikes, airspace closures, and flight disruptions—have led to heightened awareness across Gulf states.
