(Eagle News) — The Department of Labor and Employment has suspended the deployment of Filipino workers to Qatar amid a diplomatic crisis that has engulfed the region, this as the head of the Philippine Embassy in Doha called on all Filipinos there to “remain calm.”
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said the suspension of the deployment was effective today, June 6.
There are 141,000 documented Filipino workers in Qatar.
Meanwhile, in an advisory, Ambassador Alan TImbayan called on all Filipinos in Qatar to “remain calm and exercise prudence,” as he assured them the government was “closely monitor(ing) the situation.”
Timbayan also advised Filipino travelers to “consult their travel agents to ensure unhampered travel arrangements.”
This after Etihad Airways, Emirates Airlines and other regional carriers suspended their flights to and from Doha, Timbayan said.
On June 5, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and the Kingdom of Bahrain announced the severance of diplomatic ties with Qatar, which was accused of supporting Islamist militants, including Al Qaeda and the Muslim Brotherhood.
The statement was followed by similar statements of withdrawal of diplomatic relations from Egypt, Yemen, Libya and Maldives.
Qatar denied any support for extremists and accused its neighbors of seeking to put the country under “guardianship.” With a report from Agence France Presse