Manila, Feb. 28 -- President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Saturday directed the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) to ensure the safety of Filipinos in the Gulf region, following coordinated airstrikes by the United States (US) and Israel on Iran.

In an X post, Marcos said the Philippine government is gathering additional information about the attacks.

He ordered the concerned agencies to implement contingency plans and take measures to keep Filipinos in affected areas safe.

"In the meantime, the safety of Filipino citizens in Iran and in the Middle East is paramount," Marcos said. "I have instructed the DFA and the DMW to take measures to determine their whereabouts in affected areas and to ...