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KABUL – The Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has said his government is currently engaged in consultations with the United States to determine whether or not to host refugees from Afghanistan.
In an interview, President Marcos stated, “We have made some progress but there’s still some major obstacles to us being able to do it, but we continue to consult with our friends in the US.”
However, he did not elaborate on the specific challenges they are facing in considering this proposal.
He emphasized his government is actively assessing potential problems that might arise from hosting Afghan nationals and is exploring viable solutions.
As the consultations between the Philippines and the US continue, the fate of hosting Afghanistan refugees remains undecided. The issue has drawn attention to the humanitarian challenges faced by both nations, as they grapple with potential logistical and security implications in providing assistance to those displaced by conflict.
Philippine Ambassador to the US, Jose Manuel Romualdez, had previously indicated that a decision regarding the hosting of Afghan nationals could be reached around mid-July.
Nevertheless, President Marcos emphasized that the decision-making process is not being rushed, stating, “Well, we have not given ourselves a deadline. What we are talking about is that we’re trying to see what are the problems, what are the issues arising and so doing we are trying to find ways to remedy those issues that we feel are something that we have to deal with.”
The Philippines was approached to potentially serve as a transitional area for Afghan nationals displaced by the conflict in their homeland before they are resettled in the US.
President Marcos had previously cited logistical and security concerns in response to this arrangement.
