Photo from Blasting News
Iran’s retaliation shows what could happen if the
Philippines hosts US war games and military hubs for foreign wars of aggression
Women of Partido Manggagawa (PM) strongly condemn the
ongoing joint US-Israel assault on Iran, which has triggered retaliatory
strikes on US facilities in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and other
Gulf states. This dangerous escalation has already disrupted global travel and
trade, and killed civilians, and it threatens to spiral into wider regional
war.
“We reject imperialist wars that cost countless
civilian lives. History shows that when the US wages war, women and children
suffer the most—displaced, impoverished, denied healthcare and education, and
exposed to violence and long-term trauma,” said PM Secretary-General Judy Ann
Miranda.
She added that the conflict also puts at least 2
million Filipino migrant workers in the Middle East at serious risk— many of
them women working as domestic workers, nurses, caregivers, and service
workers. They left home because of poverty and lack of decent jobs. Now they
face the risk of bombings, displacement, job loss, unpaid wages, and sudden
evacuation. When war erupts, migrant workers are often the most
vulnerable—trapped by restrictive contracts, limited mobility, and lack of
protection. Tragically, a Filipina caregiver was killed in an airstrike in
Israel during retaliatory attacks, underscoring the mortal danger confronting
Filipino workers in the region.
PM warned that the Philippines faces real danger under
the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA). By allowing US troops access to local
bases, ports, and facilities for war games and military operations, our country
risks becoming a strategic launch point—and a potential target—in expanding US
wars against Iran or China.
Miranda explained that military basing does not
guarantee security but exposes Filipino communities to retaliation. War and
militarization would worsen gendered violence, economic insecurity, and the
deprivation of basic services for women and families here at home.
Women workers demand:
Abrogate the VFA and all foreign military
arrangements.
Stop the US-Israel genocide on Palestine and war on
Iran.
Push for an immediate ceasefire.
Ensure the protection, safety and evacuation readiness
for all Overseas Filipino Workers in conflict zones.
Redirect military spending to social
services—healthcare, education, decent work, childcare, housing, and protection
against gender violence.
“Women workers refuse to let Philippine soil be used for wars that are not ours. We stand for peace, sovereignty, and social justice—not foreign military domination,” she ended.
Press Release
March 3, 2026
Partido Manggagawa
