PH mulls renting cruise ships in case of mass evacuation of Filipinos in Middle East

MANILA, Philippines — Aside from deploying military assets overseas, the Philippine government is considering to rent cruise ships should there be a need for mass evacuation of Filipinos in the Middle East amid the US-Iran tension.

There are more than 7,000 Filipinos in Iran and Iraq.

But Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said they are still currently evaluating how many Filipinos are interested to return to the Philippines.

“The Secretary of Foreign Affairs is already coordinating with our embassy in Baghdad to canvass who are willing to come home. Kapag alam na natin (One we determined it), then we can send transportations there,” Lorenzana told reporters.

“In Iran, most of the Filipinos are married to Iranians so baka hindi uuwi (they might not come home). So ang concern namin (our concern) is Iraq, [which is the] battlefield,” he added.

President Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday ordered the military to prepare its assets for a possible evacuation of Filipinos there in case the tension between the US and Iran escalates.

The American airstrike which led to the death of Gen. Qasem Soleimani, the head of Iran’s elite Quds Force, inflamed tension between the US and Iran.

Lorenzana said they are preparing to dispatch the Navy’s two landing docks. A Del Pilar-class offshore patrol vessel may escort the ships.

The Philippine Air Force might send two C-130 cargo planes and a C-295 transport plane.

These limited military assets may only accommodate hundreds at once in case of mass evacuation.

Another option they are looking into, Lorenzana said, is taking the Filipinos in another safer place like Oman or Saudi Arabia before bringing them to the Philippines.

“Kung marami talaga ang gustong umuwi mag-lease tayo, mag hire tayo ng cruise ship. ‘Di ba yung cruise ship na malalaki can accommodate about 3,500 to 4,000 people. So kung yun lang naman sa Iran, sa Iraq, 6,000. Dalawang cruise ship lang yun eh, provided that these Filipinos would like to come home,” Lorenzana said.

(If many would want to go home we have to hire cruise ships, which can accommodate 3,500 to 4,000 people. In Iran there are 6,000 Filipinos. Only two cruise ships would be needed…)