Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez advised undocumented Filipinos in the US to consider voluntary departure.
This comes amid the ongoing immigration crackdown under the administration of US President Donald Trump.
According to Romualdez, if there is no legal path to stay, it would be better for them to leave.
At the same time, the Philippine government reaffirmed its readiness to assist Filipinos in the United States.
Romualdez said the Philippine Embassy and Consulates in the US can help coordinate with immigration officers to provide assistance in specific cases.
He also stressed that Filipinos are not the direct target of the immigration crackdown, and that only a small number of Filipinos are affected.
Meanwhile, the envoy reported that President Trump encouraged the Philippines to join the “Board of Peace,” a US-established multinational body that seeks to promote post-conflict solutions such as the reconstruction of Gaza.
He further clarified that there is no major change in the “ironclad” Philippines–US alliance amid observations that the US is focusing more on the Western Hemisphere and allegedly abandoning its Indo-Pacific partners.
President Bongbong Marcos is also expected to visit the United States in the coming months.
