PH envoy confident Pinoys in US bases in Middle East protected

The Philippines' top diplomat to Washington on Tuesday expressed confidence that Filipinos and other civilian personnel in United States bases in the Middle East are being given protection by the US military amid its war with Iran.

"All personnel at US bases are always given as much protection regardless of citizenship," Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez told GMA News Online.

There is no immediate figure of Filipino and other Asian nationalities working in American bases in the Middle East.

Reports said six US service personnel were so far killed in Iran’s retaliatory attacks over the weekend on Kuwait. 

Iran has launched strikes against its neighbors hosting American forces in response to Saturday's attacks by the US and Israel in Tehran, which killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's leader since 1989, and other key Iranian officials.

According to Romualdez, the US has previously hinted that the attack in Iran "was highly possible if talks in Switzerland did not produce tangible results." US and Iranian officials had met twice in February in Geneva as Washington demanded Iran to abandon its nuclear program.

The ongoing conflict and the escalation of attacks by US and Israel against Iran are a major concern for the Philippines in the Middle East, where more than 2.4M Filipinos live and work. 

Ensuring their safety, including by evacuations, has been a logistical challenge in the past.

The financial remittances by the Filipino workers have helped keep Manila's economy afloat for decades.

Manila urged Filipinos in affected areas to follow the advisories of their host governments, remain vigilant, and observe all relevant travel advisories. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News