Bongbong tells DFA: Repatriate Pinoys in Ukraine immediately

Presidential candidate Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Saturday, Feb. 26 called on the government to ensure the safety of Filipinos in Ukraine amid Russia's just-launched invasion of the state.

Marcos Jr. in a statement said the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) must speed up its efforts to repatriate the at least 260 Filipinos in Ukraine "while we can still do so, especially with Russian forces allegedly targeting civilian areas".

"We have to get our countrymen there out of harm’s way. Let’s not wait for the aggression to escalate further," he said.

Marcos Jr. said it is now time to proceed with the crisis management mechanisms and exit strategies that the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) had earlier arranged.

But the presidential aspirant also pointed out that in-country relocation of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) based in Ukraine away from its capital, Kyiv, may not provide them safety as there are already skirmishes everywhere.