FORMER Vice President Jejomar Binay has asked the Department of National Defense (DND) to apprise the public of its contingency plan should the brewing conflict between the United States and North Korea escalate into a full-blown conflict.
In a letter to DND Secretary Delfin Lorenzana received last October 6, Binay underscored that all concerned government agencies including the DND must prepare for all possible scenarios to mitigate their impact on the lives of the Filipino people.
“While the Department of National Defense (DND) has assured the public that the Philippines will not be affected in the event of a missile attack by North Korea on Guam, I am nonetheless emphasizing the importance of preparing for all possible scenarios, including the worst-case scenarios, in a case a full-blown conflict ensues between the US and North Korea,” Binay wrote.
“This is, of course, standard procedure in crisis situations, and I am interested in knowing the preparations being made by your department and other concerned government agencies. I presume that your department already has one in place,” he added.
The former vice president said it is imperative for all concerned government agencies to be ready for each scenario, with clearly defined lines of authority, protocols and provisions for temporary and safe shelter, food, water, medicines and other basic necessities.
“The DND would also benefit from the inputs of experts from such fields as international security, nuclear safety, and the related sciences,” Binay added.
“I would appreciate, as would the general public, a response from your office on this most urgent matter,” he concluded.
Noting the apparently “heightened animosity” between the US and North Korea, the former vice president pointed out that the planned visit of US President Donald Trump to the Philippines and other countries in Southeast Asia in November is expected to “bring greater focus on the growing instability in the region.”
The Associated Press (AP) recently released an official statement from the White House announcing that President Trump will take a five-nation trip to the Asia Pacific Region in November, which will include a visit to the Philippines to attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit.
The report noted that it will be Trump’s first visit to the region as president, and that it comes as North Korea moves closer to its goal of having a nuclear-tipped missile that could strike the US.
According to the report, the White House said Trump’s visit would “strengthen the international resolve to confront the North Korean threat and ensure the complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.” (PR)