By REUTERS

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said they have no information if Filipinos were affected after United States forces attacked three nuclear sites in Iran, Assistant Secretary Robert Ferrer said Sunday.

“Wala pa tayong impormasyon kung may mga Pilipino dun sa mga binombang pasilidad sa Iran, but we already told our kababayans to stay away from Iranian facilities,” Ferrer said.

(We don’t have any information if there were Filipinos who were affected in the facilities that were bombed in Iran, but we already told our countrymen to stay away from Iranian facilities.)

Earlier today, US President Donald Trump announced the “very successful attack” of its forces in Iran, adding that the crown jewel of Tehran’s nuclear program, Fordow, is gone.

Ferrer said there are 1,200 Filipinos in Iran, of whom nine have requested repatriation.

“It’s very hard to move from Tehran to Turkmenistan border. It’s a 13-hour drive. I think in the next few days, they will be able to do ti with God’s help,” Ferrer said, noting that the Philippine Embassy in Tehran is working on the repatriation.

Meanwhile, Ferrer said personnel of the Philippine Embassy in Tehran will be the last to leave the Islamic Republic and only after Filipinos wishing to return to the Philippines are taken cared of.

Pinoys in Israel 

Ferrer also said 223 Filipinos in Israel have requested repatriation, of which 26 are leaving soon.

There are about 30,000 Filipinos in the Jewish state, according to Ferrer.

“Hindi pa rin bukas ang airports (airports are still closed). The seaports are also closed. Open naman ang land border with Jordan (the border to Jordan is open). They can cross, but they have to do it through the embassy in Tel Aviv,” the official said.

One Filipino remains in critical condition, while seven have been discharged from the hospital.

The houses of 88 Filipinos have been damaged due to Iranian airstrikes and 80 have been resettled to safer areas.

On Friday, crisis alert level 3 in Israel and Iran was raised by the Philippine government, urging Filipinos in the area to avail of voluntary repatriation as tensions continue between the two countries.