MALACANANG on Tuesday said the government is now focused on taking care of and
ensuring the safety of the remaining Filipinos in Libya.
Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte, in a press briefing in Malacanang, said the
Department of Foreign Affairs has issued the last call for the repatriation Filipinos still the in
war-torn Libya but Philippine embassy personnel there will have to stay put to attend to the
needs of those who opted to stay.
Valte said some Filipinos, specifically those working in government hospitals in Libya, were
offered double pay as well as hazard pay by their employers. She added that the employers
asked for the government’s assistance so the Filipinos can remit their salaries.
Valte stressed that the Philippines, as a member of the United Nations (UN) is “bound to
respect the decision of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on the situation in Libya.
but as President Aquino said, our focus now is how to take care of the Filipinos still in Libya.”
There are some 2,000 Filipinos still in Libya; most of them are working in hospitals.
Under the UNSC Charter, all members of the UN agree to accept and carry out the
decisions of the Security Council. While other organs of the UN make recommendations to
Governments, the Council alone has the power to take decisions that member states are
obligated under the Charter to carry out.
On Thursday last week, the UNSC passed a resolution ordering a no-fly-zone over Libya and
allows for air strikes to protect civilians from attacks by Col. Gaddafi’s forces. (PCOO)
