IF THE US-Iran conflict escalates, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. on Sunday, January 5, assured that the Philippines is ready to evacuate Filipinos and President Rodrigo Duterte is capable of handling such crisis.

Locsin made the statement in Twitter posts in response to a query on the country's preparedness to cope with the impact of the conflict.

"We always do. We will get out everyone who wants to get out and return to poverty in the Philippines to stare at their starving loved ones while bullshetters talk about the most dynamic economy in Southeast Asia. Or we will be there with them," he said.