Gov’t may hire cruise ships if many Filipinos want to return home: Lorenzana

January 7, 2020

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the government may hire cruise ships in case many Filipinos wanted to return home amid the conflict in Middle East.

Lorenzana, chairman of a special committee created for the repatriation of Filipinos in the Middle East, said the matter was discussed during the cabinet meeting in Malacanang on Monday night.

"We should not be thrifty on the safety of our citizen. One of the suggestions that came out last night was if there are many Filipinos who really want go home we can lease, hire a cruise ship, a large cruise ship can accomodate about 3,500 to 4,000 people," he said.

Lorenzana said in case all Filipinos in Iran and Iraq would like to come home the government will only need to hire cruise ships to repatriate them.

However, Lorenzana emphasized one of the challeges on repatriation of Filipinos from the Middle East.

"One of the problems that we are, the challenge that we are facing is if the Filipinos might not want to come home like what happened in Libya... when the Libyans found out that the Filipinos were trying to go home, they doubled the salary of the Overseas Filipino Workers. That is why they no longer want to go home," he said.

"Our concern also here is there are about 6,600 OFWs in Iraq. It's about 1,100 in Iran, and in Iran most of those Filipinos they are maried to Iranians so will they come home? Maybe not. So our concern now is those who are in Iraq," he added.

Lorenzana said the military were also directed to prepare its assests which includes two C-130, C-295, and two ships for possible deployment.

"The secretary of foreign affairs, Secretary Teddy Locsin is already coordinating with our embassy in Baghdad to canvass who are willing to come home. If we already know, then we can send transportation to fetch them," he said. Robina Asido/DMS