Palace concerned about instability in Arab countries

Malacañang is keeping its fingers crossed the violence in at least three countries where protest actions are escalating will not happen simultaneously so that Filipinos there will remain safe. Deputy presidential spokeswoman Abigail Valte on Sunday said government is monitoring the developments in Bahrain, Libya, and Yemen, and possibly even Algeria. “(Sana) naman huwag humantong sa puntong sabay-sabay silang tatlong kailangan nating i-evacuate (We are hoping it will not reach the point that Filipinos from all these three countries will have to be evacuated simultaneously)," Valte said on government-run dzRB radio. She said the Philippine government is getting updates from Philippine embassies in the three countries. Embassy officials there have already advised Filipinos to stay away from areas where violence is likely to erupt. “As of the moment our embassies are in touch with the Filipino communities there. In-assure tayo we will be sent updates to assess the situation (As of the moment our embassies are in touch with the Filipino communities there. We have been assured of updates to help us assess the situation)," Valte said. On Saturday, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Filipinos based in Libya, Yemen and Bahrain remain safe amid protest actions there, even as Philippine officials there advised them to take precautions and stay away from protests. The DFA said Philippine Embassies in Tripoli, Riyadh and Manama reported they are in close touch with Filipino communities there. None of the over 26,000 Filipinos in Libya were affected during a “day of anger" against the government in Libya’s major city of Benghazi on Friday, the DFA said. The DFA also said there are about 1,400 Filipinos in Yemen, mostly concentrated in Sanaa and the port city of Aden. It added there are around 31,000 Filipinos in Bahrain. — KBK, GMA News