Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Spokesperson Ma. Teresita Daza. (PNA file photo)
MANILA - The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has said talks are ongoing on the request of the United States (US) to temporarily accept its former Afghan workers while it processes their special immigrant visas (SIV).
Citing a “concept note” sent by Washington DC in October 2022, the DFA said the proposal was to use the Philippines as a “temporary site” for the Afghan nationals while they wait for their resettlement in the US should they secure an SIV.
“While the proposed arrangement is humanitarian in nature, it will not involve the admission or hosting of Afghan refugees,” DFA spokesperson Ma. Teresita Daza said on Friday.
She clarified that the concerned Afghan nationals are “not refugees but Afghans who have worked with the US government and their qualified family members” and are securing US approval as part of the SIV application process.
Daza said the Philippines and the US have yet to reach an agreement on the proposal.
In an earlier interview, Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez said there are about 50,000 Afghans, including their families, who worked for the US in Afghanistan before the Taliban takeover.
There is no definite information as of yet regarding the number of Afghans that would transit through the Philippines. (PNA)
