Palace to Filipinos in Taiwan amid China drills: ‘Stay put’

Metro Manila, Philippines - Malacañang on Wednesday advised Filipinos in Taiwan to “stay put” as China launched military drills around the region, assuring at least 250,000 overseas workers there of the government’s preparedness for any eventuality.

“Hindi naman po dapat mabahala ang taong-bayan patungkol dito,” Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said in a briefing.

“Stay put. Basta tandaan nila na ang gobyerno ay handang tumulong sa kanila sa ano mang paraan,” she said.

[Translation: Filipinos should not be worried about this…[They should] stay put. They just need to remember that the government is ready to help them in any way possible.]

Armed forces chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. ordered troops to prepare for the possible “rescue” of Filipinos should China invade Taiwan.

China launched its latest round of war games around Taiwan on Tuesday, calling it "Strait Thunder-2025" and issued a "stern warning" against separatism.

China views self-governed Taiwan as its territory despite the objections of Taipei.