The Philippines is prepared to provide refuge to people fleeing the conflict in Afganistan following the collapse of its government.
According to Presidential spokesman Harry Roque, the country is willing to welcome asylum seekers from the troubled nation, a similar gesture shown to refugees of other conflicts.
In a televised press briefing Tuesday, August 17, Roque noted that the country has a long history in opening doors to refugees. He also cited a Supreme Court ruling that stated the Philippines would "not hesitate to admit individuals fleeing their homelands because of fear of persecution."
“Welcome po ang mga asylum seekers sa Pilipinas (Asylum seekers are welcome in the Philippines)," he said, citing previous instance when the country offered safe haven to the Jews during the Holocaust.
“Lahat po ng kinakilangan ng kalinga dahil sila po ay pinepersecute sa kanilang bayan, meron po kayong lugar dito sa Pilipinas (To those in need of refuge because they are persecuted in their homeland, you have a place in the Philippines),” he added.
The Taliban has taken control of Afghanistan after decades-old insurgency, triggering panic and fear in the capital. Thousands of Afghans were reportedly trying to to flee the Taliban rule and leave the country. The Philippines is also working on the repatriation of more Filipinos in Afghanistan after the first batch of 32 evacuees fled the conflict-torn country.
When he spoke before a virtual United Nations General Assembly last year, President Duterte offered the country as a safe place for refugees, citing its humanitarian tradition in accordance with the obligations under the 1951 Convention on the Status of Refugees and the 1967 Protocol.
He said the country's doors were open "to everyone fleeing for safety, such as the Rohingyas. He mentioned the country's previous aid given to the White Russians following the 1917 Revolution, the European Jews in the Second World War, the Vietnamese in the late 1960s, and the Iranians displaced by the 1979 revolution, among others.
The President also reminded the international community about the “shared responsibility” to help the most vulnerable, including those displaced by conflict, persecution, and political instability. “In the face of a mounting refugee crisis worldwide, let us work together towards ending the conflicts and conditions that force people to flee their homes,” he said.