Bombings and Bases

By E. Maestro

The Feb. 28th US and Israeli bombing of Iran, and the immediate retaliation from Iran, sent shock waves everywhere. My heart goes out to those who were killed, especially the 175 people, nearly all young schoolchildren at the girls’ elementary school in Minab, to the many injured and impacted by the bombings in Iran. Iran retaliated by bombing US bases in the region, including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and others. 

The first reported OFW casualty of these senseless bombings was Mary Ann Velasquez De Vera, a caregiver in Israel who was killed while helping her employer get to a bomb shelter. Both  were unable to reach the bomb shelter in time. Hopefully our OFWs will be evacuated immediately.

Below is the full text of the February 28^th statement of Migrante Middle East on the recent US-Israeli war of aggression against Iran. 

“We are deeply concerned about the rapidly escalating conflict between Israel-USA on one hand, and Iran on the other, which endangers the lives and limbs of more than two million overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the Middle East. The airstrikes instigated by the US-Israel war tandem and answered by Iran’s retaliatory attacks have created an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty throughout the region and shows no signs of deescalation. This conflict, driven by US imperialist domination and military expansion, has once again turned entire nations in the region into battlegrounds for foreign interests, exposing to further insecurity Filipino and other migrant workers in Israel, Iran, and nearby countries that host US bases such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, and Kuwait. These OFWs left the Philippines because of landlessness, unemployment, lack of job opportunities, and poverty at home, but now find themselves trapped in wars they did not choose. We are reminded now that it is ordinary people, not the war-makers, who greatly suffer in times of conflict. 

Protecting the lives and welfare of our OFWs must be the government’s top priority. We demand the Philippine government to implement immediate, decisive, and fully funded evacuation and protection measures for all Filipinos in affected areas. Safe shelters, accessible communication channels, swift documentation processing, and unconditional repatriation must be guaranteed. Bureaucratic delay and complacency are unacceptable when Filipino lives are at stake. Repatriated workers must be provided with substantial financial aid, livelihood assistance, and long-term reintegration support.

The Philippine government must also scrap its labor export policy and instead focus on creating decent jobs and opportunities within the country. The ongoing crisis in the Middle East highlights the vulnerability of OFWs and the urgent need for systemic change. It is high time for the government to prioritize the welfare of its citizens by ending the reliance on overseas employment and investing in local industries that can provide sustainable livelihood for all Filipinos.

The present crisis in the Middle East also underscores the need to reject US military bases and all forms of foreign military presence in the Philippines. The continued hosting of US troops and war infrastructure only entangles our country in imperialist conflicts and undermines our sovereignty. The Philippines must not serve as a launching pad or strategic outpost for foreign wars that endanger our people at home and abroad.

We call for a truly independent foreign policy which will reject alignment with US military aggression and instead upholds peace, national sovereignty, and solidarity among peoples. 

Protect our OFWs. Defend our sovereignty. End foreign military domination. Assert genuine independence and uphold the rights and dignity of every Filipino.”

This question becomes valid: Is the presence of US military bases under Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement  (EDCA) in the Philippines helpful to the Filipino people? Or does it serve as a magnet for attacks, and thereby dangerous for the Filipino people? 

What do you think?