President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday said he would ask Congress to hold a special session to tackle the increasing tension between the United States and Iran, as he expressed concern over the safety of millions of Filipinos in the Middle East.

In his speech at the signing of the 2020 national budget in Malacañang, Duterte called on lawmakers to set aside a “standby fund” that would be used to aid overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in case the situation worsens.

“I called for the major commanders yesterday, Sunday. I told them of the gravity of the situation and that they have to start even the deployment itself. There is no such thing as a minimalist view here. It’s fraught with danger. And I am afraid of the so many lives of our countrymen in jeopardy in that place. So here you are. I was tinkering with the idea of calling a special session of Congress,” Duterte said.

“Kinakabahan ako (I’m really nervous). Iran seems to be hell-bent on a retaliation, which I think will come. It’s a matter of time. There is much hurt and even the loss of lives in the Arabic world. And retaliation or the cry for blood is there,” he added.

The President admitted that it would be a “huge, gargantuan effort” to repatriate Filipinos should war break out.

“If we have to do it, we will do it. We never had this kind of problem. But ngayon (now), I suggest that Congress — bahala kayong (you decide) one or two days, discuss the problems, the ramifications. But I don’t know where you want to put the money,” he added.
Duterte then asked Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez 3rd to source out funds to be used to repatriate Filipinos in the Middle East once the situation there turns into open hostility.

“We need billions there. And calculate what would be the calibrated withdrawals first in places where it is really very dangerous. For example… if Iran is poised to strike, it will not strike Iraq because as it is, Iraq is already in a sorry state,” Duterte said.

“Kung ayan ang mangyari, then we will have trouble because most of our OFWs are stationed, majority of them are in Saudi Arabia. Let’s start with a standby fund,” he added.

The President on Sunday ordered the military to prepare its assets for the possible repatriation of OFWs in the Middle East after the US launched an airstrike that killed Iran’s top general, Qasem Soleimani, in Iraq.

In 2018, there were about 1.26 million OFWs in the Middle East, which included Bahrain, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.

On Monday, Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo assured the public that measures are in place in case the tensions between the US and Iran trigger an increase in oil prices and other commodities.