Aquino orders gov’t agencies to ensure safety of Pinoys in Korea

President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III on Wednesday said he has ordered concerned government agencies to ensure the safety of Filipinos in areas affected by the ongoing tension between North and South Korea. "We are closely monitoring and I have tasked the relevant agencies to review their plans concerning the safety of our citizens there," Aquino said in a text message. On Tuesday, North Korea unleashed a barrage of artillery on a South Korean island near disputed western border. The attack set buildings ablaze and killed at least two marines. Aquino said he and other government officials will meet on the matter and come up with the government's position after gathering and evaluating validated information. For the moment, Lacierda said the Philippine government is "calling for an end to the provocative actions and for sobriety on the two Koreas." Lacierda said there are only nine Filipinos in North Korea – five are working for the United Nations and four are employed by an international company. "All nine have been accounted for by the Philippine government," he said. Meanwhile, there are around 60,000 Filipinos in South Korea. Most of them live in Seoul, far from the South Korean island of Yeonpyeong that was attacked by North Korea, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said. In a statement issued late Tuesday, the DFA said the Philippine Embassy in Seoul is closely monitoring developments in South Korea. "The Embassy has contacted Filipino community residents near the area of conflict and advised them to keep abreast of developments; keep communication lines open; and contact the Embassy hotline immediately in case of need," the DFA said. DFA spokesman Eduardo Malaya said the Philippine government is not inclined to issue a travel advisory on Korea at this time because they are looking at the tension as a "temporary phenomenon." — LBG, GMANews.Tv