Cimatu team leaves for Middle East

A Philippine mission left yesterday for the Middle East to coordinate all initiatives in ensuring the safety and welfare of some 1.4 million Filipino workers in case the US attacked Iraq.

Led by Special Presidential Envoy Roy Cimatu and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) chief Virgilio Angelo, the mission will visit Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, where most overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are based.

Dubbed as the Middle East Preparedness Team (MEPT), the mission will hold talks with officials of the host countries in securing the safety and welfare of the Filipino workers.

An "emergency handbook" containing evacuation plans will be distributed to OFWs, while host governments will also be asked to give assurance about their safety, Angelo said.

"I want to assure (Filipino workers) and their families here that there is no reason to be alarmed because the Middle East situation is still normal with the workers peacefully doing their jobs," he said. — Aurea Calica, AFP