(UPDATE) FILIPINOS in the Middle East have been moved to safe locations, with many taking shelter in bomb shelters, following the exchange of air strikes between the United States, Israel and Iran, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Sunday. The US and Israel launched a “preemptive strike” on Iran, prompting Iran to conduct missile attacks on Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Kuwait, hosts to US military bases. In a video message released by Malacañang, the president assured that the government is monitoring the Middle East situation round-the-clock. He said that as of 9 a.m. on Sunday, “we have not received any reports of Filipino casualties. No Filipinos have died. No Filipinos have been injured.” All Philippine embassies and labor attachés have been placed on heightened alert starting late Saturday afternoon to ensure the safety and welfare of Filipinos in the region, he said. “In our latest report, our countrymen are in a safe place. And they have gone to the bomb shelters where they are. They were moved away from the American bases so that they do not come close to danger. We will continue to give updates as the report reaches me,” Marcos said. More than 2 million Filipinos work and live in the Middle East, based on the latest data from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). Most of them are in Israel, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and Bahrain. Marcos has already directed the DFA and Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) to secure Filipinos, most of which are overseas workers, shortly after receiving confirmed reports of the air strikes. Philippine embassies in the Middle East have advised Filipinos in the region to refrain from unnecessary travel. Based on DFA figures, there are 973,000 in the UAE; 813,000 in Saudi Arabia; 250,000 in Qatar; 211,000 in Kuwait; 56,000 in Bahrain; 49,000 in Oman; 41,600 in Jordan (including Palestine); 31,000 in Israel; 14,000 in Lebanon; 1,600 in Iraq; 800 in Iran; and 700 in Syria. The embassy in Iran said on Facebook that “depending on prevailing conditions, Filipinos may consider to voluntarily depart, through any available commercial or safe means should the situation warrant.” The embassy in Iraq urged Filipinos to “prepare adequate food, water, medicine and other necessary supplies sufficient for their needs while sheltering in place.” Philippine Ambassador to Israel Aileen Mendiola convened the embassy’s crisis management team. To ensure continuity of services, the embassy has “transferred its operations to its underground shelter and remains operational.” The embassy in Lebanon urged Filipinos “to remain at home and limit movement unless absolutely necessary and avoid crowded areas.” The embassy in the UAE said “in the event of any unusual incident, Filipinos are cautioned to shelter in their homes and refrain from making unnecessary movements.” The Philippine mission in Bahrain advised Filipinos to avoid the Juffair area, which hosts a US military facility amid the possibility that it may be targeted by Iran. “Those with nonemergency consular requirements, or those who can put off their scheduled passport appointments to a later date, are strongly encouraged to remain indoors for their safety,” the embassy in Qatar said. Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian on Sunday urged the DMW to prepare for the repatriation of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who might want to return home amid the escalating conflict in the region. Gatchalian, Senate Finance Committee chairman, said the P2-billion Aksyon Fund under the DMW is allotted for the repatriation of OFWs and other forms of emergency assistance for those in distress. He said the priority “is the safety of our OFWs. The government must be ready to repatriate those affected.” He also urged the Land Transportation Regulatory and Franchising Board to immediately prepare to implement the Pantawid-Pasada program amid expectations of further oil price hikes. The senator said about P2.5 billion is available for disbursement under the Pantawid Pasada program. Sen. Erwin Tulfo, chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, appealed to the DMW and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration to help aspiring Filipino workers in the Middle East who have to postpone their travel for their safety. Tulfo cited news reports that first-time OFWs from the provinces narrated the inconvenience and the effect of the conflict to their impending employment abroad. “Most of these Filipinos come from the provinces. They have already spent money on requirements in the hope of securing decent opportunities in the Middle East,” said Tulfo. The OFWs lamented that concerned government agencies have yet to issue any notice to address their situation. Their recruitment agencies have yet to provide a clear plan on their deployment. “We should exhaust all the remedies available for them not only on the financial aspect, but also for their mental health,” said Tulfo, Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman. The Department of National Defense (DND) on Sunday assured that there is “no credible direct threat” to the Philippines amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East. In a statement, the DND also said the military is ready to assist in evacuating OFWs at risk. “At the moment, the conflict is contained within the Middle East and there is no credible direct threat to our territory, and Filipino and foreign citizens in the country. We urge vigilance against disinformation and condemn those who unnecessarily rouse panic during these circumstances,” the DND said.