By Joseph Bernard A. Marzan
Presidential press officer Claire Castro on Wednesday, April 2, said the Marcos administration is “prepared for any contingency” amid tensions involving a possible Chinese invasion of Taiwan.
Castro urged Overseas Filipino Workers in Taiwan not to worry for now.
Her statement followed Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr.’s directive for the Northern Luzon Command to prepare for a potential conflict.
Brawner’s call was in response to recent military exercises conducted by China’s army, navy and rocket forces around Taiwan, which Beijing considers part of its territory.
“We think that the people shouldn’t be worried about this,” Castro said during a Malacañang press briefing.
“It is proper that [Brawner] should remind the troops and the public that we should always be prepared for all contingencies.”
She advised OFWs to stay calm.
“Stay put. They should remember that the Philippine government is ready to help them at any time,” she said.
Castro referred further updates to Brawner and Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro.
“Any further details on this matter will come from [Teodoro] and [Brawner],” she said.
“For those contingencies, if they ever happen, we are always ready,” she added.
“Like [Brawner] said, we should be prepared for any contingency. If that does happen, we shouldn’t be sleeping on our positions. We are always ready.”
As of January 2025, Taiwan is home to 150,822 land-based Filipino workers, according to the Department of Migrant Workers.
China Advisory
Castro also addressed an advisory issued by the Chinese Embassy in Manila regarding alleged frequent interrogations and harassment of Chinese citizens and businesses by Philippine authorities.
She said the advisory may be linked to the government’s ongoing crackdown on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators, or POGOs, which President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered to be banned in his State of the Nation Address last year.
“Their travel advisory is just a normal consular function of China,” Castro said.
“We can assure China that we are not targeting any nationality or national to harass.”
“Everyone is welcome here, except of course when doing crime—we will implement the law.”
She said many of those apprehended in recent POGO operations are Chinese nationals, which may have led to the embassy’s concerns.
“Maybe this has become one of the issues,” she said.
“But the Department of Foreign Affairs is open to discussions regarding this.”
