Cimatu confident with emergency plan for Pinoys in SKorea

Special Envoy Roy Cimatu is contented with the plan Philippine Embassy officials have drawn up for the safety of Filipinos in Korea amid military tension in the peninsula. Cimatu, who was sent to Korea to assess Filipinos' safety, said there is no cause for alarm. "There is no reason for panic," an article posted on the Department of Foreign Affairs website Wednesday quoted Cimatu as saying. He also expressed confidence in the ability of the South Korean government to handle the situation, the DFA said. "Despite the tensions, the situation right now is stable," Cimatu added. The Philippine government is closely monitoring the situation in the peninsula amid joint naval exercises by the United States and South Korea from Nov. 30 to Dec. 1. On November 23, North Korea fired a barrage of artillery on a South Korean island near disputed western border. The attack set buildings ablaze and killed at least two marines. After the incident, North Korea threatened to launch another assault should South Korea push with the planned joint naval exercises with the United States. Cimatu was sent to South Korea with a team from the DFA, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council to evaluate the security situation in South Korea. He was tasked to assess the level of awareness and preparedness of some 50,000 Filipinos in South Korea, and to test the embassy's contingency plan. Cimatu met with Philippine Embassy officials last Nov. 27, the DFA said. "In case of emergency, we want to be sure that the Philippine government is ready to meet the needs of Filipinos in South Korea," he said. Cimatu was among the people who designed and implemented the Philippine government’s contingency plan in the Middle East, leading to the successful evacuation of Filipinos from Lebanon and Iraq when the situation there worsened. As a matter of policy, all Philippine embassies and consulates general have a contingency plan for the safety of overseas Filipinos during emergency situations such as disaster, war or civil unrest. The contingency plan, which is regularly reviewed and updated, should ensure the welfare of overseas Filipinos and timely delivery of services. — LBG, GMANews.TV