By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora
MANILA – There is no travel advisory in Indonesia but Filipinos planning to visit the country are encouraged to consider their trip carefully as protests in the country continue, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Wednesday.
Widespread demonstrations have rocked Jakarta and other regions over the past days, stemmed from public outrage over a proposed monthly allowance for members of the parliament.
Tensions further intensified after a viral video showed a police tactical vehicle running over and killing a motorcycle taxi driver during a rally in Jakarta.
“There are some areas that are calm at (and) business as usual but we are continuously monitoring developments ano. Kaya kung may mga kababayan tayo na nagbabalak magbiyahe ay isipin po muna nang mabuti (If we have nationals planning to travel out there, they should consider it carefully),” Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Angelica Escalona said in a Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon briefing.
There are about 6,000 Filipinos in Indonesia, close to 1,800 of whom are based in Jakarta. Majority of them are teachers, managers, accountants and engineers.
So far, no Filipino has been reported affected by the unrest nor has sought assistance from the embassy, Escalona said.
Meanwhile, Escalona reiterated an earlier advisory by the Philippine Embassy in Jakarta reminding Filipinos in the country to avoid the protest areas and remain alert. (PNA)
