Afghan refugees (Photo courtesy of Anadolu)
MANILA – Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said on Tuesday the Philippines will be accepting Afghan asylum seekers fleeing from the Taliban takeover only under a government-to-government basis.
During the House appropriations committee's deliberation on the proposed 2022 budget of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Locsin assured that the Philippines will continue to extend assistance to asylum seekers and refugees from Afghanistan.
"On asylum seekers and refugees, the Philippines will continue to extend assistance in line with its long tradition of timely and responsive humanitarian action. I cannot say more; the situation is fluid to put it mildly," Locsin said.
Locsin, however, emphasized that it will not accept asylum requests coming from non-government organizations and the private sector.
"But, let me add this warning, we will not engage in any asylum unless it is on a government-to-government basis. We will not deal with private sector, however famous they happen to be or infamous they turn out," he said.
Locsin noted that there are only 24 Filipinos remaining in Kabul as of August 30, with eight requesting repatriation and 16 signifying their desire to remain.
He said a total of 187 Filipinos have been evacuated since the Taliban seized the capital. (PNA)
