The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has called on the public to remain calm after raising Alert Level 3 for Filipinos in Israel and Iran, emphasizing that the situation on the ground is not as dire as perceived in the Philippines.
“There is a lot of panic going on. There is a lot of worry going on. There is a lot of misinformation going on. And it’s in Manila, not in Tel Aviv,” said DFA Assistant Secretary for Migration Robert Ferrer in an Inquirer.net report.
Ferrer shared that most Filipinos in Israel are choosing to stay put, trusting local authorities to maintain their safety. “If you ask most of our Filipinos in Tel Aviv, they are calm. They don’t want to go home. They believe in the Israeli system to protect them, to take care of them,” he added.
The DFA’s decision to raise the alert level came after Israel launched preemptive strikes on Iran’s military and nuclear facilities on June 13, intensifying regional conflict. Ferrer explained that Alert Level 3 is a preemptive move aimed at preparing contingency measures, not an immediate evacuation order.
DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs Eduardo De Vega clarified that Alert Level 4, which mandates evacuation, is only declared when conditions are unlivable. “Israel is not [a place you can’t live in]… Also Iran. Tehran is being attacked, but Iran is very big,” De Vega said, pointing out that many areas remain habitable despite the unrest.
Both Ferrer and De Vega confirmed that the Philippine embassies in Israel and Iran remain fully operational, as reported by Ambassadors Aileen Mendiola and Robert Manalo.
So far, 191 Filipinos have expressed their intent to return to the Philippines, and DFA said it continues to provide support through its 1348 hotline and Middle East help desk.
