IMEE: STEP UP EVACUATION PLAN FOR MIGRANT WORKERS IN TAIWAN

Senator Imee Marcos said that completing an evacuation plan for Filipino migrant workers in Taiwan should precede any U.S. relocation of Afghan refugees to the Philippines.

Marcos, who chairs the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, said the evacuation plan should be the immediate goal of humanitarian and disaster response efforts with the United States under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement.

"The U.S. is preparing an evacuation plan for its citizens in Taiwan, and so is Indonesia for its 350,000 migrant workers," she noted. "Will we be ready or reactive?"

Despite the assurance of the Department of Foreign Affairs last April, Marcos doubts that a comprehensive evacuation plan is already in place for some 150,000 Filipino domestic workers, caregivers, factory employees, and fishermen in Taiwan should China move to occupy what it considers its renegade province.

"No details, no drills. Military exercises have focused on retaliation, not rescue," the senator said.

"We need answers to how OFWs will assemble amid a widespread scramble to leave. What flight or shipping routes will give them safe passage through a military blockade? What transport will be used, where will they dock, and how often will they fetch Filipino evacuees so that everyone gets out as quickly as possible unharmed?" she asked.

Marcos said the U.S. plan to relocate Afghan refugees to third countries like the Philippines should be "a secondary concern for us."

"The U.S. is rushing to ease its backlog of more than 70,000 Afghans seeking special immigrant status since August 2021, when American troops withdrew from Afghanistan as the Taliban took over," she explained.

Come August this year, the expiry of a two-year humanitarian parole that allows Afghan refugees to reside and work in the U.S. could complicate the situation if the U.S. Congress fails to act.

"With time constraints to process a myriad of special visas, the vetting of refugees may become less thorough and pose security risks for third countries," Marcos warned. "Many of them have no documents to prove their work relationship with the U.S. government or companies, particularly spies for the military."

The senator also said that giving refugees a decent life will require employment and allocating resources such as food, water, and electricity, which may be subject to local shortages.

IMEE: EVACUATION PLAN PARA SA MIGRANT WORKERS SA TAIWAN, IDETALYE NA

Iginiit ni Senador Imee Marcos na ang pagkukumpleto sa evacuation plan ng mga Pinoy migrant workers sa Taiwan ang dapat mas iprayoridad o unahin kaysa hirit ng U.S. na relokasyon sa Pilipinas ng Afghan refugees.

Ayon kay Marcos, chairman ng Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, ang evacuation plan ang dapat na agarang targetin ng humanitarian at disaster response efforts ng bansa at ng U.S. sa ilalim ng Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement.

"Ang U.S. naghahanda na ng evacuation plan para sa mga Amerikano sa Taiwan, ganundin ang Indonesia para sa kanilang nasa 350,000 migrant workers," ani Marcos. "Tayo ba nakahanda na o nakikisimpatya lang?

Duda si Marcos sa sinabi ng Department of Foreign Affairs na mayroon nang naikasang komprehensibong evacuation plan para sa 150,000 Pinoy domestic workers, mga caregiver, mga factory employees, at mga fishermen na nasa Taiwan sakaling simulan nang sakupin ng China ang itinuturing nitong renegade province o ayaw pasakop na lalawigan.

"Walang detalye, walang drill. Nakapokus ang military exercises sa paghihiganti, hindi sa pag-rescue," ani Marcos.

"Kailangan natin ng kasagutan kung paano titipunin ang mga OFWs sa gitna ng malawakang pagkukumahog na makaalis sa Taiwan. Anong flight o ruta ng barko ang ligtas para malampasan ang anumang military blockade? Anong sasakyan ang gagamitin, saan sila dadaong, at gaano kadalas silang ipadadala para masigurong mabilis at ligtas na maililikas doon ang mga Pinoy?" tanong ni Marcos.

Diin ni Marcos, ang plano ng U.S. na relokasyon sa mga Afghan refugees sa ibang bansa gaya ng Pilipinas ay marapat lang na "hindi prayoridad sa atin."

"Nagmadadali ang U.S. na bawasan ang kanilang backlog na mahigit sa 70,000 Afghans na humihingi ng special immigrant status noon pang August 2021, noong umatras na ang tropa ng mga Amerikano sa Afghanistan at palitan sila doon ng mga Taliban," paliwanag ni Marcos.

Sa pagsapit ng Agosto, mag-i-expire na ang dalawang-taong humanitarian parole na nagbibigay permiso sa Afghan refugees na tumira at magtrabaho sa U.S., kaya maaaring maging kumplikado ang sitwasyon kapag nabigong kumilos ang U.S. Congress.

"Dahil gipit na sa oras para sa pagpoproseso ng napakaraming special visa, ang pagkilatis sa mga refugees ay maaaring hindi na ganon kahigpit na magiging banta naman sa seguridad ng mga bansang tatanggap sa mga refugees," babala ni Marcos. "Marami sa kanila ang walang dokumento na magpapatunay sa kanilang kaugnayan sa U.S. government o kumpanya, partikular na ang mga espiya ng militar."

Dagdag pa ng senador na ang pagbibigay ng disenteng buhay sa mga refugee ay mangangailangan ng trabaho at paglalaan ng pagkain, tubig, at kuryente na maaaring kapusin.