Gordon calls for multi-partisan contingency plan amid threats of war over Ukraine
Senator Richard Gordon on Friday called on the government to prepare a multi-partisan contingency plan for the country 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 said in a statement.
“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,” he added.
Gordon, who is seeking re-election in the upcoming May 2022 elections, emphasized the necessity of having a logical exit plan for the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Ukraine, as well as its neighboring countries including Turkey, Poland, and Belarus.
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,” he said.
“This requires additional funds from the national government budget on top what the POEA and OWAA have already,” the lawmaker pointed out, referring to the Philippine Overseas Employment and Administration and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration.