The Philippines has ordered its citizens to leave Iraq, the Philippine foreign ministry said on Wednesday, after Iran attacked U.S. forces there in response to a U.S. strike that killed an Iranian general last week.
“The alert level in the entire Iraq has been raised to alert level 4 calling for mandatory evacuation,” said Eduardo Menez, spokesman at the Department of Foreign Affairs.
The department said there are 1,600 Filipinos working in Iraq, more than half in the Kurdistan region and the rest at U.S. and other foreign facilities in Baghdad and in commercial establishments in Erbil.
A Philippine coastguard patrol vessel, newly acquired from France and en route to the Philippines, was ordered to sail to Oman and Dubai to assist Filipinos who may need to be extricated.
Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, who heads a newly created committee to prepare the evacuations, said on Tuesday the government was preparing aircraft for Filipinos in Iraq and Iran who wished to come home or move to safer areas.
About 2.3 million people from the Philippines are working in the Middle East as domestic helpers, construction workers, engineers and nurses.
Read more via Reuters
28th February 2026
The United States has begun what President Donald Trump described as “major combat operations” inside Iran, marking a significant escalation in regional tensions and signalling a shift f...
28th February 2026
Neil Sedaka, the hit rock 'n' roll singer and songwriter who achieved fame in the 1960s and 1970s with hits like "Laughter in the Rain" and "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do," died on...
28th February 2026
Morning Briefing
Government Debt Climbs Despite Narrower DeficitMalta’s consolidated fund recorded a deficit of €151.7 million by the end of January 2026, an improvement on last year’...
27th February 2026
Updated 1300
DIER Recovers €1.5m in Unpaid Wages After 1,000 Investigations: Malta’s workers’ rights watchdog recovered nearly €1.5 million in unpaid wages in 2025 following 1,000 inv...
19th February 2026
The Socialists and Democrats (S&D) Group in the European Parliament has demanded urgent clarification from the European Commission over its participation in the first meeting of the ...
4th February 2026
The rising cost of living has emerged as the major issue that Maltese citizens want the European Parliament to address, according to the latest Eurobarometer survey published today.
T...
27th February 2026
A major energy deal between an Italian firm and the state oil company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) has been confirmed by the European Commission.
The EC approved the acquisition of Italiana ...
27th February 2026
Low-cost carriers Ryanair and Wizz Air have rejected the results of a consumer survey that placed them among the lowest-rated airlines for customer satisfaction in the UK and beyond.
...
2nd February 2026
Vivian continues to widen its portfolio with the announcement of new representation agreements with worldwide R&D pharmaceutical companies. “These latest agreements crown a very succ...
19th December 2025
Two local analysts have cautioned that any attempt by EU Member States to block or restrict the passporting of crypto-asset service providers (CASPs) authorised under the Markets in...
18th February 2026
“ATTO is not against plans to regenerate the Grand Harbour but all stakeholders need to engage in focused discussions to ensure guaranteed berths with adequate quay operations that do no...
12th February 2026
FinanceMalta plans to adopt a more targeted, quality-focused promotional strategy in 2026, redirecting resources towards local initiatives and targeted familiarisation visits, Chief Stra...
28th February 2026
The United States has begun what President Donald Trump described as “major combat operations” inside Iran, marking a significant escalation in regional tensions and signalling a shift f...
28th February 2026
Israel said it launched a pre-emptive attack against Iran on Saturday, pushing the Middle East into a renewed military confrontation and further dimming hopes for a diplomatic solution t...
25th February 2026
Thousands of Cuban security personnel have begun leaving Caracas after nearly two decades in Venezuela, as Washington ramps up efforts to dismantle the long standing alliance between the...
9th February 2026
María Corina Machado is a prominent figure in Venezuela’s opposition. She has reported that one of her closest associates, Juan Pablo Guanipa, was abducted. This occurred mere hours afte...
26th February 2026
More than 1,700 Africans are fighting for Russia in its war in Ukraine, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said, adding that Moscow was using deception to trick them into fighting....
24th February 2026
Ukraine will not betray the sacrifices made by its people in four years of war just to make peace with Russia, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy vowed on Tuesday, as divisions among his key ...