US government will cover Afghan nationals’ stays in Manila.
On Monday, up to 300 Afghans arrived in the Philippines for temporary stays while undergoing US resettlement processing, Philippine and US officials said.
The Philippines and the United States signed an agreement last July allowing possibly hundreds of Afghans to stay in Manila while their US Special Immigrant visas were being processed.
This decision came despite domestic opposition in the Catholic-majority country over security and other concerns.
“The DFA issued the appropriate Philippine entry visa to these applicants in line with current rules and regulations,” Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Teresita Daza said in a statement.
“All applicants underwent extensive security vetting by Philippines national security agencies.”
A US State Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the number involved was “up to 300”.
Under the deal, the US government will shoulder the cost of the Afghans’ stays in Manila, including food, housing, medical care, security, and transportation, the Philippine DFA statement noted.
The Afghans will be accommodated at a facility operated by the US State Department’s Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts, as earlier stated by the US Embassy.
Daza had previously mentioned that the Afghans could stay for no more than 59 days and would be “confined to their billet facility” except for embassy interviews.
The applicants all underwent medical screening in Afghanistan.
Tens of thousands of Afghans fled their country during the chaotic evacuation of August 2021 as US and allied forces withdrew to end Washington’s longest war, launched after the September 11, 2001 attacks.
Many of those who worked with the ousted Western-backed government arrived in the United States seeking resettlement under a special immigrant visa program, but thousands were left behind or stranded in third countries, waiting for their visas to be processed.
