Compassion

Taking in people seeking refuge from war or persecution should not even be a subject of debate considering the history of the Philippines as a humanitarian country.

Washington DC sent a “concept note” in October 2022, according to the DFA, proposing to have the Philippines as a “temporary site” for Afghan nationals awaiting resettlement in the US.

The foreign nationals will be transients and “not refugees but Afghans who worked with the US government and their qualified family members.”

The Philippine and US governments have yet to reach an agreement on the proposal but putting this issue to a debate goes against the nature of Filipinos who are known the world over for their hospitality.

“That (accepting the Afghans) should be allowed. Why not? They are not permanent residents. They will be merely in transit and their ultimate destination are other nations,” Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile has opined.

The Philippines has a long history of accepting foreign refugees, particularly those fleeing conflict and persecution.

The country is a signatory to the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol and has established a legal framework for the protection of refugees.

In recent years, the Philippines has accepted refugees from various countries, including Syria, Afghanistan, Somalia and Myanmar.

In 2016, the government announced that it would accept 10,000 Syrian refugees over the next three years, although it is unclear how many have been resettled in the country.

Among the foreigners escaping perilous situations in their country who were welcomed to stay in the Philippines were White Russian refugees. Following the Russian Revolution of 1917, a group of White Russians fled to the Philippines and were granted asylum by the government. They settled in Manila and established a community.

During World War II, the Philippines accepted around 1,200 Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi persecution in Europe. The refugees were granted visas by President Manuel Quezon and they settled in Manila and other parts of the country.

In the 1970s and 1980s, the Philippines accepted tens of thousands of Vietnamese who were fleeing the aftermath of the Vietnam War. The refugees were housed in camps on the island of Palawan and were eventually resettled in other countries.

In 2003, the Philippines accepted 13 Iraqi refugees who were fleeing the war in Iraq. They were granted asylum and resettled in the country.

In 2016, the Philippine government announced that it would accept 10,000 Syrian refugees.

In 2018, the Philippines accepted 1,600 Rohingya refugees who were stranded in the country after being rescued by the Philippine Navy. The refugees were granted asylum and were later resettled in other countries.

Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez said the US request was “purely for processing” of special immigration visas for the Afghans and their families.

Romualdez said the displaced Afghans would be accommodated in batches of 1,000 to 1,500 per month.

“Not all of the 30,000 or whatever they intend to process will come to the Philippines and they will be here waiting for their processing. It will be by batches and it is completely up to us,” Romualdez said.

As a compassionate nation with hospitable people, saving lives should be automatic for us.

Right after Afghanistan fell to the Taliban in 2021, the Philippines took in Afghan refugee women and children.

The most notable humanitarian act of the country was during the Quezon administration when the 1,200 Jewish refugees escaping Nazi persecution were welcomed.

That benevolent act solidified the relationship between Israel and the Philippines and both countries remain strong partners where citizens of both nations are treated with respect and honor whether in Manila or Tel Aviv.

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