Senator Imee Marcos on Tuesday, March 1, said it is “imperative” for all Filipinos to leave Ukraine at once, after the European Union (EU) decided to arm the beleaguered nation’s army.
Marcos added that the government needs to prepare for the larger-scale evacuation of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Europe, in case the Russia-Ukraine war spreads westward.
The EU decided on Sunday to “finance the supply of lethal material to the Ukrainian army” and to deepen economic sanctions against Russia.
“Evacuation plans must immediately be put in place for our OFWs (Overseas Filipino Workers) not just in Ukraine and Russia but also in nearby Belarus, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Moldova. The travel of Filipinos to these areas must also be stopped,” Marcos said.
“If the war escalates on the ground, the Philippines will not be the only country arranging for the safe passage of its citizens. So, let’s not procrastinate,” the senator added.
Marcos, chairwoman of the Senate Economic Affairs committee, said events unfolding in the next few days would determine if fears of a Third World War will ease, as the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) convenes, the delivery of EU-funded weaponry is arranged, and Russia-Ukraine peace talks begin.
“May the power of prayer assure that peace talks push through not only for the sake of Russia and Ukraine but for the whole world,” she added,