Lebanon still under Alert Level 3 — Marcos

VIENTIANE - Lebanon is still under Alert Level 3 despite the continuing crisis in the Middle East, President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr said on Wednesday.

In an interview with the Philippine media delegation for the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits, Marcos was asked if the country, caught between a conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, will now be placed under Alert Level 4. He responded, ''Hindi pa (Not yet)."

''It depends on the situation there and the ones who will assess there is the DFA and the embassy,'' he added.

Alert Level 3 means Filipinos may opt to be voluntarily repatriated. On the other hand, raising Alert Level 4 would mean that the Philippine government will call for a mandatory repatriation of Filipinos.

Marcos said he had called for an online meeting with Cabinet officials as the situation in Lebanon is ''changing.''

''Dahil nagbabago eh, actually kumukuha ako ng report more than once a day so I got a report early this morning na mayroon tayong binigay na directive sa ating mga kaibigan na shipowner na huwag na silang dadaan doon sa mga delikadong lugar,'' Marcos shared.

(The situation is changing. I'm getting reports more than once a day so I got a report early this morning, we gave a directive to our friends who are shipowners that they shouldn't pass through the dangerous areas.)

The Philippine Embassy in Beirut has been urging Filipinos to evacuate while commercial flights are still available amid the continued exchange of rockets between Israel and Hezbollah as well as Israeli air strikes that have leveled parts of the Lebanese capital.

Marcos tasked concerned government agencies to mobilize all available assets to ensure the safe and timely repatriation of Filipinos who are affected by the crisis in the Middle East.—RF, GMA Integrated News