Filipinos in the United States are advised to be alert and to be cautious after Washington hit Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend, Philippine Ambassador to Washington Jose Manuel “Babe” Romualdez said on Monday, June 23.
Filipinos in US told to be alert after Trump's strikes on Iranian nuclear sites
President Donald Trump speaks from the East Room of the White House in Washington on Saturday, June 21, 2025, after the US military struck three Iranian nuclear and military sites, as Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth listen. (Carlos Barria/Pool via AP)
In an interview on DZBB, the envoy clarified that “there is no report we have received” of Muslim Islamist threats in the US.
“As always, we tell our kababayans to be on alert din (too). We ask them to follow whatever the local officials, whatever alert notice that they give out to their communities to be on the lookout for just in case there’s any situation that may arise out of this situation in the Middle East right now,” he said.
The ambassador noted that this was “something very serious” because it was the first time that the US used the “special bomb.”
“Syempre (Of course), it is only proper for the US authorities to alert its citizens not only here but everywhere especially in the Middle East, nasa panganib sila ngayon (they are in danger now),” Romualdez added.
Filipinos in the US, he furthered, must “be careful definitely” after he was asked if they should start avoiding crowded areas like subways.
“Alam mo (You know) whenever we have something like this, especially this very particular case dahil very serious itong nangyaring ginawa ng US in Iran (because what the US did to Iran was very serious), they have to be on alert for any eventuality,” he stressed.
The escalating tension between Israel and Iran that started after Israel attacked Iran’s nuclear sites last Friday is expected to intensify after US President Donald Trump said that US forces have conducted “very successful” strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.
Iran has earlier warned the US against intervening in its ongoing clash with Israel, while the United Nations, Saudi Arabia, Japan, the European Council, and Iraq called out the escalating tensions in the region.
As of June 22, the Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv said some 253 Filipinos have signified their interest to be repatriated from Israel.
There are also 127 Filipinos who have been displaced after their homes were damaged because of Iranian missiles, while 375 were provided assistance.