MANILA, Philippines — The first batch of Filipinos evacuating from Iraq amid the tension between the United States and Iran arrived in the Philippines on Wednesday afternoon, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced.
DFA said 13 Filipinos, composed of 11 adults and two children, from Baghdad and Erbil in Iraq landed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport around 4:10 p.m.
The said batch includes the group of seven adults and two children whose departure from Baghdad to Doha was delayed due to immigration problems.
DFA expressed its “profound gratitude and appreciation” to the Iraqi government for its assistance and cooperation in expediting the repatriation of Filipino workers there.
The Philippines earlier ordered the mandatory evacuation of Filipinos from Iraq after a US airstrike killed Iranian general Qasem Soleimani and pushed the region to the brink of open hostility.
Though reports indicate that the situation has de-escalated, the Philippine government continued to urge Filipino workers in Iraq to come home.