Senator Dick Gordon urged a multi-partisan contingency plan for the Philippine government amid the worsening situation over Ukraine with credible threats of an all-out war in Eastern Europe.
“War in Eastern Europe over Ukraine is fraught with dangers. I urge the immediate formulation and announcement of a comprehensive plan to minimize the expected fallout of the likely war in Eastern Europe over Ukraine,” Gordon stated.
“Consultation with our affected citizens, if practicable, is key.”
“The contingency plan must be multi-partisan given the required interrelated programs and activities that need to be coordinated. Inputs from both the Legislature and the Executive are critical. Consultation with our affected citizens, if practicable, is key,” the veteran legislator added.
The seasoned lawmaker stressed that there should be a logical plan for the overseas Filipino workers in Ukraine, as well as its neighboring countries including Turkey, Poland, and Belarus.
There are 380,000 OFWs in Ukraine that need to be evacuated immediately.
In Ukraine alone, there are 380,000 OFWs that need to be evacuated immediately.
“The social and economic fallout of an all-out war in Eastern Europe are huge and many. At the top of the list are the dangers that OFWs are facing. Funding assistance should be provided to our OFWs to smoothen their re-entry once they are evacuated. This requires additional funds from the national government budget on top of what the POEA and OWWA have already,” the senator stressed.
The risk of an all-out war in Eastern Europe was heightened following what United States President Joe Biden said was the start of Russia’s invasion as Russian troops entered two separatist jurisdictions in Eastern Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin called his order of incursion in Eastern Ukraine peacekeeping.
In response, Biden announced new financial sanctions against Russia, ordering US financial institutions to cease dealing with Russia over its public debt, with more economic sanctions to be announced.
Putin then ordered attacks in the cities of Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, and Kharkiv, where explosions have been reported.
