A Global Connection: Exploring The Filipino Presence In Afghanistan

The number of Filipinos in Afghanistan has fluctuated over time, with an estimated 130 Filipinos in the country as of August 2021. The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has played a crucial role in facilitating the repatriation of Filipinos from Afghanistan, particularly after the Taliban's takeover of Kabul in August 2021. Since then, there has been a mandatory evacuation of Filipinos, with many being evacuated to Doha, Qatar, and others assisted by the Indonesian government after seeking shelter in the Indonesian embassy in Kabul. As of August 2021, there were still Filipinos remaining in Afghanistan, with some choosing to stay despite the DFA's calls for mandatory evacuation. The Philippine government has expressed its commitment to assisting Filipinos in leaving Afghanistan and offering asylum to Afghan refugees.

Filipinos evacuated to Qatar, the UK, and other countries

The Philippines has a large number of citizens working abroad, with over 2 million documented Filipinos working in the Middle East alone. Qatar is a popular destination, with around 260,000 Filipinos living and working there, making them the fourth-largest group of foreign workers in the country. Filipinos in Qatar often work in construction and service jobs, and the country has relied on them for major infrastructure projects.

In 2021, the Philippines government called for the mandatory evacuation of all Filipinos in Afghanistan after the Taliban took control of the country. Filipinos in Afghanistan were urged to prepare for repatriation and assisted by the government in returning home. Many Filipinos evacuated Afghanistan to Qatar, with 32 Filipinos evacuated to Doha, and seven more confirmed to have been evacuated there with the help of their foreign employers. Others were assisted by the Indonesian government and evacuated to Indonesia. Some Filipinos were also evacuated to the United Kingdom, with five confirmed to have been evacuated there with the help of their foreign employers.

The Philippines government has also organised repatriation flights for Filipino workers in Qatar who wished to return to their home country. In one instance, a flight repatriated 238 Filipino workers from Doha, with each national receiving $200 in financial assistance to help them resettle.

Filipinos who chose to remain in Afghanistan

The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has been working to evacuate Filipinos from Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover in August 2021. The DFA has stated that Filipinos remaining in Afghanistan should be prepared to leave at a moment's notice, with minimal luggage.

Despite the DFA's efforts, some Filipinos have chosen to remain in the country. On August 23, 2021, the DFA reported that 10 Filipinos had signified their intent to stay in Afghanistan, with 17 requesting assistance to leave. These Filipinos, referred to as OFWs, decided not to leave due to their work commitments. The DFA has said that it does its "best to convince people to leave" but cannot compel them to do so.

On September 17, 2021, the DFA reported that 18 Filipinos would stay in Afghanistan for work, specifically noting that these individuals were members of the international organization Doctors Without Borders.

The decision to remain in Afghanistan comes with risks, as the country faces a worsening security situation and internal conflict. The Philippine government has raised Alert Level 4, which calls for the mandatory evacuation of Filipinos in the area. The DFA has arranged for the repatriation of Filipinos, with 32 evacuated to Doha, Qatar, and 19 more set to leave as of August 16, 2021.

The vast majority of Filipinos in Afghanistan are employees of international contractors catering to the needs of US and NATO forces. With the withdrawal of US troops, the stay of Filipino workers has become precarious, and many have sought to evacuate the country. The DFA has assured that it will continue to assist Filipinos in Afghanistan and facilitate their return to the Philippines.

The Philippine government's mandatory evacuation of citizens

On August 15, 2021, the Philippine government raised Alert Level 4, the highest security warning given by the Philippines on countries that pose risks to Filipino citizens due to armed conflict or disaster. This announcement came as the Taliban took control of the capital of Afghanistan, Kabul, and the Western-backed Afghan government collapsed. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) called for the mandatory evacuation and repatriation of Filipinos in Afghanistan, with an estimated 130-173 Filipinos in the country at the time.

The Philippine Embassy in Pakistan, which has jurisdiction over Afghanistan, worked in close coordination with the DFA on the repatriation of Filipinos in Afghanistan. Filipinos in Afghanistan were urged to coordinate with the Philippine embassy in Pakistan to facilitate their repatriation. The DFA said it was exploring all avenues and working with governments and international partners to guarantee the immediate and safe passage of Filipinos. The Philippine government also agreed to accept refugees from Afghanistan.

The DFA said that, as of August 16, 2021, 32 Filipinos had been evacuated from Kabul and were awaiting flights back to the Philippines from Doha, Qatar. A further 19 Filipinos were also set to leave Afghanistan. Filipinos who had already left Afghanistan would not be returning to the Philippines "for various reasons."

Since the crisis deepened in Afghanistan, 182 Filipinos have been evacuated from the country, making their way to countries like the United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, Norway, Kuwait, and Kazakhstan. Attempts to evacuate Filipinos from Afghanistan have been difficult and uncertain due to the chaos and unrest at the airport and on the journey to Kabul.

As of August 23, 2021, 27 Filipinos were still in Afghanistan, most of whom requested evacuation from the country. The DFA said it would do its "best to convince people to leave" and would continue to assist Filipinos as long as possible.

Filipinos working for US and NATO forces

Filipinos have a long history of working alongside US forces, with Filipino sailors being the first Asians in North America. The first documented presence of Filipinos in what is now the US dates back to October 1587 around Morro Bay, California, with the first permanent settlement in Louisiana in 1763.

In more recent times, Filipinos have been employed in Afghanistan as workers for international contractors catering to the needs of US and NATO forces. Filipinos in Afghanistan are mostly professionals and skilled workers and occupy supervisory positions.

In 2021, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said that 90 Filipinos were remaining in Afghanistan, with 79 requesting to return to the Philippines. Filipinos were urged to prepare for repatriation after Alert Level 4 was raised in the wake of the Taliban's takeover. The DFA said it was making arrangements for the repatriation of Filipinos still left in Kabul. The Philippine government raised its highest alert level over the country, but it cannot compel all Filipinos to leave.

Since the crisis deepened in Afghanistan, 182 Filipinos have left Afghanistan, making their way to countries like the United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, Norway, Kuwait, and Kazakhstan. Some Filipinos were also assisted by the Indonesian government after seeking shelter in the Indonesian embassy in Kabul.

The US and the Philippines have historically strong bilateral and diplomatic relations. The Philippines is one of the oldest Asian partners of the US and a major non-NATO ally. The US has consistently been ranked as one of the Philippines' favourite nations in the world, with 90% of Filipinos viewing the US and 91% viewing Americans favourably in 2002.

In 2021, the US and the Philippines reaffirmed their mutual-defence treaty, with the US vowing to defend the Philippines, including in the South China Sea. The US has also been assisting the Philippines in combating Islamist militants in the southern islands.

Filipinos assisted by the Indonesian government

As the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, the Philippine government called for the mandatory evacuation of all Filipinos in the country. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said that most of the Filipinos in Afghanistan requested assistance to leave the country.

The Indonesian government assisted five Filipinos in leaving Afghanistan safely. They were allowed to take shelter in the Indonesian Embassy in Kabul while waiting for a plane to fly them out of the country. The five Filipinos are now in Jakarta, waiting for their flight home arranged by the Philippine Embassy in Indonesia.

The Philippine government thanked Indonesia for its assistance in evacuating the five Filipinos. The DFA said that all Filipinos evacuated from Afghanistan who request to return to the Philippines will be assisted. The Philippine government continues to work on the immediate extraction of the remaining Filipinos in Afghanistan.

The Philippine Embassy in Islamabad arranged the evacuation of 30 Filipinos who were flown to Pakistan. Another 10 Filipinos were able to leave Kabul for different destinations: eight for Dubai, one for Doha, and one for Paris. More Filipinos were evacuated to the United Kingdom, with their status being verified by the Philippine Embassy in London.

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