Noynoy wants concrete evacuation plan

By Aurea Calica (The Philippine Star) Updated November 27, 2010

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino wants a more concrete evacuation plan for Filipino workers in the event of a full-blown war in the Korean peninsula.

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said that during a security cluster meeting, Aquino asked officials to ensure that any evacuation plan would be carried out swiftly and efficiently.

“We have to prepare ourselves in terms of the eventualities there. We should be prepared. For example, if there is nuclear attack – are we prepared to handle that? Do we have materials for that?” Lacierda said. “Those are the concerns we have raised.”

But he stressed there is still no need to evacuate Filipinos at this time or issue advisories against travel to Korea.

“I understand communications have been made with respect to airline companies and also a representative from shipping companies. They have been cooperating and, in fact, more than eager to help the situation of Filipinos in South Korea if and when their services will be required,” Lacierda told reporters.

Philippine Ambassador to Seoul Luis Cruz gave a briefing on the current situation in South Korea during a security cluster meeting.

National Security Adviser Cesar Garcia is in charge of monitoring the situation while Special Envoy Roy Cimatu would supervise evacuation efforts.

As this developed, Philippine Airlines said it is ready to help evacuate Filipinos if necessary.

“We informed Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa that PAL has available aircraft that it can use for emergency flights to repatriate Filipinos who might be trapped in the dispute between North and South Korea,” PAL president and chief operating officer Jaime Bautista said.

“We want to assure the government and our kababayans in South Korea that the national flag carrier is always ready to assist in times of emergency and lend a helping hand in their hour of need,” Bautista said.

Officials and PAL are discussing possible pick-up areas in South Korea where PAL planes could safely land to bring Filipinos back to the Philippines.

“We fervently hope that the conflict in Korea would soon end, but we can’t take things for granted. That’s why we have thrown our full cooperation and support to government in case of a worst-case scenario,” Bautista said.

The military has also committed to deploy aircraft and ships for evacuation purposes.

“There are contingencies in place for the possible scenarios that may come our way,” Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman Brig. Gen. Jose Mabanta Jr. said.

“We will make available all military resources if these certain scenarios require… Aircraft and ships available are being readied right now for any eventuality,” he added.

Mabanta said the Air Force has a C-130 military cargo plane and a Fokker aircraft on standby, while the Navy is ready to send a landing ship.

“The armed forces as well as the DND (Department of National Defense) are closely monitoring the recent activities and incidents in the Korean peninsula,” Mabanta said.

But as tensions rose in the Korean peninsula, the Labor department said there is still no need for a deployment ban.

“There is now a slowdown in processing but our deployment of workers to Korea is still continuing at this time,” Baldoz said in an interview. There are over 60,000 Filipinos in South Korea and nine in North Korea.

“Our Philippine embassy and Labor officials are on top of the situation and ready for any eventuality that might arise as a result of the tension,” Baldoz noted. She added there are about 11,000 undocumented Filipino workers in the Korean peninsula.

Meanwhile, Malacañang ordered its legal team to review the Philippines-United States Mutual Defense Treaty as Washington might invoke it to compel the Philippines to send troops to Korea in the event of full-scale war.

“There is the RP-US MDT that the President ordered to be reviewed. The US might invoke the Philippines has an obligation under the MDT to help them if US will be in a troubled situation in South Korea,” an official who declined to be named said.

Condemnation

As the Korean crisis entered its third day, President Aquino condemned North Korea’s shelling of the tiny Yeonpyeong island in South Korea.

“The attack constitutes a clear and flagrant violation of international law,” Malacañang said yesterday in a statement read by deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte.

In the statement, the Philippines also commended South Korea for having demonstrated “extraordinary restraint” in the wake of the attack on the corvette ROKS Cheonan on March 26 by a suspected North Korean submarine.

“We call for the continued exercise of restraint,” the Palace said.

“The Philippines calls for an end to provocative actions that raise tensions and adversely affect peace and stability in the Korean peninsula and in the Asia Pacific region,” it added.

The Philippines strongly urged North Korea to abide by its obligations under international law and the United Nations Charter and to adhere to the Armistice Agreement of 1953, the Inter-Korean Basic Agreement of 1991 and the Declaration on the Advancement of South-North Korean Relations, Peace and Prosperity of Oct. 4, 2007.

“The Philippines calls for peace and seeks an end to the instability in the region,” Lacierda said. With Alexis Romero, Mayen Jaymalin, Pia Lee-Brago, Rudy Santos