THE United States formally made a request in October last year for the Philippine government to accommodate the “pure processing of special immigration visas” for Afghans and their families who used to work for the US government and “whose lives are in danger.”
However this request is worded, it would mean the government will have to house thousands of Afghan refugees and play host to them, entailing expenses that are to be paid for by public funds. If for any reason these foreigners are not accepted in the US, the Philippines cannot send them back to their own country, creating a huge problem where there is none.
According to Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo, US President Joe Biden had “briefly raised” the matter with President Marcos Jr. during the latter’s visit to the US in May.
‘It has been almost a year now since the importunate request was relayed and the President has not yet made a decision.’
President Bongbong Marcos is right not to plunge head-on in granting this US request, an issue that has divided even the Senate, where Sen. Imee Marcos, the President’s elder sister and chair of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs which held a hearing in June, has raised serious questions.
Senator Marcos expressed concern as to why the United States government has chosen the Philippines as the country to temporarily house their allies from Afghanistan. She said the Philippines may not be prepared for the “enormous migration” and asked why the US government suddenly stopped accepting Afghan nationals in Virginia.
She pointed out that if the US is unable or unwilling to temporarily accommodate the applicants for special immigration visa (SIV) on US soil, “why don’t they consider US territories such as Guam, Puerto Rico, and Guantanamo?”
Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, meanwhile, pointed out that the government needs to first solve the housing problem of Filipinos before accommodating foreigners.
“We are facing a housing backlog of 6.5 million in our own backyard. Shouldn’t we prioritize the needs of our fellowmen first? Given our housing backlog and the rise in cost of living, shouldn’t our limited resources be focused on taking care of our own?” Estrada said.
According to Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel “Babe” Romualdez, the US will shoulder all costs, and it is the Philippine government that will decide on where the SIV applicants will stay while they are being processed.
Romualdez also said the number of Afghanistan nationals proposed to be processed is at 30,000 to 50,000 and will come by batches. “They are not refugees… but former employees of the US, and we have been asked if we can accept them,” Romualdez said.
It has been almost a year now since the importunate request was relayed and the President has not yet made a decision. It is clear that he recognizes the negative impact on the country playing host to Afghan refugees would entail.
When he finally acts on the request, we hope that his decision would consider what is best for the Philippines.
