MANILA, March 5 (Philippine News Agency) — Malacanang on Wednesday assured that concerned government agencies will continue looking after the welfare of Filipino workers in Ukraine with the ongoing political crisis there.
Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said during a Palace briefing that according to Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz, there are about 172 Filipinos in Ukraine.
Lacierda however said, upon consulting the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), that they were not situated in the troubled Crimea peninsula.
He said that Filipinos in Ukraine are situated in Kiev, the country’s capital, which is more than 800 kilometers from the Crimea peninsula.
“Nonetheless, we want to be sure that they are safe,” Lacierda said.
The DFA has recently advised Filipinos in Ukraine to prepare for possible evacuation.
The crisis in Ukraine began in November last year when President Viktor Yanukovych declined to ink an EU integration deal in favor of closer ties with Russia.
It later became what reports said was a “Cold War-style” clash which killed at least 77 people.
So far, there have been no reports on Filipinos being injured. (PNA)