Presidential candidate and Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagaso said he is more than willing to help the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who will be forced to return to the country due to the rising tension between Ukraine and Russia.

“Why not? Lalo naman kung taga-Maynila sila. Eh meron namang kakayanan ng kaunti ang Maynila at kung hindi man sila taga-Maynila, baka makatulong kami on a personal level (Especially if they are from Manila. Manila has capability to help a little and if they are not from Manila, we might be able to help on a personal level),” Domagoso said during his visit in General Trias City in Cavite on Friday, Sept. 25.

“Ang importante lang naman d’yan eh ‘yung mabuhay sila. ‘Yung buhay, buo, kasama nila ulit ‘yung pamilya nila. Sama-sama silang magsikap ulit tapos may gobyerno silang masasandalan. ‘Yon sa tingin ko maitatawid na natin ang taumbayan (What’s important is that they survive. They are alive, complete, to be with their family again. They have a chance to work hard together again, then they have a government to rely on. I think we can help the people),” he added.

The Manila mayor assured that OFWs who will be displaced due to the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia will be assisted.

“Pwede nila kaming lapitan at maaasahan nila kami na baka makatulong kami sa kanila (They can come to us and they can count on us to help them),” he reiterated.

If elected as the country’s next president, Domagoso said saving the lives of Filipinos will be his top priority should conflicts among countries occur in the future.

“Unang-unang policy is iligtas ko ‘yung mga Pilipino doon. Mamamayan muna before anything else (The first policy is to save the Filipinos there. Citizens first before anything else)... If I get elected, that’s the first thing in the morning, pagmulat ng mata ko, kung ako’y presidente, ‘yun ang unang gagawin at iisipin ko paano sila maligtas at madala muli sa ating bansa o sa ligtas na lugar upang makapiling nilang muli ‘yung kanilang mga mahal sa buhay (as soon as I wake up, if I’m the president, that’s the first thing I'll do and think about how can they be saved and brought back to our country or to a safe place so that they can be with their loved ones again),” he said.

“Masigurado ko na ‘yung mahal nila sa buhay dito sa Pilipinas, na ‘yung kanilang mga kaanak sa Ukraine ay makuha nang ligtas, buo, malusog sa lalong madaling panahon. ‘Yun ang gagawin ko, to save as many Filipinos as possible and that is my job as president. ‘Yun ang unang-una, first of everything. Buhay muna ng mga Filipino na OFW sa abroad ang mahalaga sa akin (I will make sure that their relatives in Ukraine will be safe, intact, healthy as soon as possible. That is what I will do, to save as many Filipinos as possible and that is my job as president. The lives of OFWs are important to me),” he pointed out.

Domagoso, meanwhile, said he will not force the OFWs who refuse to leave and return to the country despite the situation.

“Well, kung sa tingin nila eh ligtas sila, hindi natin sila masisisi na patuloy na makipagsapalaran sa ibang bansa as long as ligtas sila. Sana mapahalagahan nila 'yung buhay (Well, if they think they are safe, we can't blame them for continuing to work abroad as long as they are safe. I hope they value life),” he said.

“If they feel they are safe and always connect at makipag-ugnayan sa ating mga embahada, konsulado (and in contact with our embassy, consulate) then they can stay. But if they're going to get my opinion over the situation mas papahalagahan ko ang buhay nila dahil baka mabigyan naman natin sila ng opportunity naman dito sa ating bansa (I will value their lives more because maybe we can give them opportunities here in our country),” he said.

Based on the Department of Foreign Affairs’ (DFA) latest data, there are around 300 Filipinos in Ukraine, most of whom are working as domestic helpers in the capital city of Kyiv.