PHL issues travel advisory on Egypt due to violent protests

The Philippine government on Sunday issued a travel advisory on Egypt, urging Filipinos to avoid going to the foreign country due to continuing violent political protests there. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), after consultations with five other government agencies, advised “Filipinos who have plans to proceed to Egypt to defer non-essential and non-urgent travels, notably for tourism purposes, until the security situation has stabilized." The pyramids and other sightseeing sites from antiquity are Egypt's major international tourism draws. A P25-million emergency fund has already been put on standby in case overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Egypt need to be evacuated to safer places, the DFA said in a statement posted on its website Sunday. The government took these actions after a meeting of officials from the DFA, the Department of Labor and Employment, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, Philippine Overseas Employment Agency, Department of National Defense and the Office of the President on Saturday afternoon. Earlier, DFA Secretary Alberto Romulo directed Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs (DFA-OUMWA) Special Assistant Enrico Fos to depart for Egypt Monday to aid the Embassy in the implementation of contingency measures. Consul General Ezzedin Tago, an Arabic-speaking career foreign service officer, was likewise ordered to proceed to Cairo from his current station in Riyadh. Special Envoy Roy Cimatu will also proceed to Egypt after the conclusion of his mission in another country in the region. At least 74 people have already been killed in violent anti-government protests in Cairo during the past five days. The situation in Egypt, where a dictator allied with the United States was under intense pressure from a democracy movement, reminded some analysts of the Philippines in 1986, when Washington eventually urged then-President Ferdinand Marcos to step down, which enabled Cory Aquino to assume power. That event marks its 25th anniversary this February. In Egypt, however, foreign observers fear that instead of a democratic government, an Islamic, undemocratic regime can take over, toppling the precarious balance of power in the Middle East. 'Avoid protest areas' The DFA earlier advised OFWs in Egypt to stay indoors and steer clear of sites of the mass protests. "The Philippine Embassy in Cairo is in touch with the Filipino community in Egypt, and have issued an advisory to Filipino community members to stay indoors, steer clear of public places - especially sites of mass protest - and avoid involvement in political actions," the DFA said. A crisis management team has already been formed by the DFA on Saturday morning to monitor the situation in the area and to provide assistance to Filipinos with relatives in Egypt. 6,569 Filipinos are currently in Egypt, mostly in Cairo and Alexandria, government records show. For inquiries on OFWs in Egypt, the DFA hotline — 834-4580 — is open. - Andreo Calonzo/KBK/HS, GMANews.TV