MANILA, Philippines — Manila and Washington have agreed on allowing a limited number of Afghan citizens to transit to the Philippines to complete their visa processing for Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) and resettlement to the United States, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.
"The agreement is currently undergoing the final domestic procedures required for effectivity," the DFA said in a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter).
The US government is supporting necessary services for those Afghans temporarily in the Philippines, including food, housing, security, medical, and transportation to complete visa processing, the DFA added.
Sen. Imee Marcos pressed for an inquiry on the US' request for the Philippines to provide temporary shelter to Afghans who have applied for US SIV.
Sen. Francis Tolentino in June 2023 said the Philippines has the "obligation" to provide temporary shelter to distressed foreigners being a signatory to the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights.
Tolentino said the Afghans applying for SIV were considered internally displaced persons (IDC). They are called PoC or persons of concern, he said.
According to the United Nations Refugee Agency, at the end of World War 1, about 800 "White Russians" came to the Philippines fleeing persecution from "Red Russians" or supporters of the Socialist Revolution of 1917.
The Philippines in 1939 opened its doors to 1,200 Jewish refugees fleeing Nazism. About 2,000 Vietnamese fleeing the Vietnam War were granted asylum in the Philippines in 1975.
The US Embassy in Manila said the Biden administration "remains committed" to helping Afghans who had worked with the US government for almost 20 years.
2024-08-20T01:07:03Z dg43tfdfdgfd