DMW declares Persian Gulf, Hormuz ‘war risk’ areas

The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has declared the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz as a “War Risk Operations Area” amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.

In Jamie Santos’ report on “24 Oras" Weekend on Sunday, DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac advised Filipino seafarers to avoid sailing through the area due to the security risks.

“Filipino seafarers, particularly those under ship owners employing Filipino crews, are not expected to be in that area. Otherwise, our Filipino seafarers must be given the right to refuse sailing, and as much as possible, this part of the world should be avoided as it is currently extremely dangerous,” Cacdac said.

The development comes as the Philippine government continues to monitor the safety of Filipinos in the region.

In Doha, Qatar, one Filipino was wounded amid the ongoing conflict after sustaining minor injuries from intercepted missile shrapnel and is now recovering, the Philippine Embassy said.

“...the Embassy has recorded one (1) Filipino national who sustained minor injuries from intercepted missile shrapnel. Said national is safe and recovering,” it said.

The embassy also reported that 29 Filipinos in Qatar are currently staying in temporary accommodations after leaving their residences due to their proximity to potential danger zones.

Meanwhile, 61 Filipinos from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, safely arrived in Manila earlier on Sunday following repatriation efforts.

In Israel, 35 Filipino pilgrims and tourists in Tel Aviv were assisted by the Philippine Embassy in crossing the border to Egypt and Jordan.

The Philippine government also continues to assist Filipinos stranded in the region.

“As of March 7, 82 out of the 113 initially stranded individuals have safely departed from Queen Alia International Airport to several transit hubs, including Cairo, Dubai, Mumbai, and Riyadh, where passengers are boarding their respective connecting flights to Manila,” the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.

“At present, the Embassy continues to assist the remaining 31 Filipino tourists still in Amman,” the DFA added.—Vince Angelo Ferreras / MCG, GMA Integrated News