Filipinos in Afghanistan ordered to evacuate

The Philippine government has ordered all 130 Filipinos to evacuate Afghanistan as Taliban forces took control of the capital Kabul.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) raised Alert Level 4 on Sunday night. Iis the highest security warning given by the Philippines on countries that pose risks to Filipino travelers and workers due to armed conflict or disaster.

According to DFA, there is a “worsening security situation in the country” as Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani left Kabul while Taliban militants entered the capital.

“Under this alert level, the Philippine government undertakes the mandatory evacuation of all Filipinos in the area,” a DFA statement said.

The Philippine Embassy in Pakistan is in close coordination with the DFA on the remaining Filipinos’ mandatory evacuation.

However, Joseph Glenn Gumpal, leader of the Filipino community in Afghanistan, said there are 173 Filipinos there.

Gumpal said 78 would join the government’s repatriation efforts, while some will be repatriated by their respective companies.

“Kasi yung ibang kumpanya may kaniya-kaniyang contingency plan [Some companies have their own contingency plan],” Gumpal said.

Gumbal said Filipinos in Afghanistan worry about what is happening in the country.

Filipinos in Afghanistan ordered to evacuate

“Talagang kami ay kinabahan din talaga. Panay ang tawag namin sa Philippine Embassy [para tanungin] kailan ba talaga mangyayari ang repatriation kasi natatakot na kami,” he said, emphasizing the Taliban’s reputation for executions and beheadings.

(We are distraught. We keep calling the Philippine Embassy to inquire about repatriation because we are petrified.)

According to Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr., the Filipinos will be evacuated via chartered flights.

“We’re sparing no expense,” he said on Twitter.

“We’re on this. We’re taking out our people with chartered flights,” Locsin said, adding he is reaching out to the United States, Manila’s “only military ally to watch our back.”

AP News reported, “The Taliban swept into Afghanistan’s capital Sunday after the government collapsed and the embattled president joined an exodus of his fellow citizens and foreigners, signaling the end of a costly two-decade U.S. campaign to remake the country.”

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