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Responders work amid building rubble following a strike by an Iranian missile in the Israeli city of Bat Yam, south of Tel Aviv, early on June 15, 2025.
AFP / Jack Guez
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv, Israel, has issued a safety advisory amid ongoing missile barrages between Israel and Iran.
In an advisory on Saturday, June 15, the embassy stressed the importance of Filipinos in Israel staying in bomb shelters or protected spaces for at least 10 minutes after an alert siren stops.
It explained that missile attacks may continue for several minutes after the initial warning and that falling shrapnel remains a significant threat.
“Ang missile attack ay maaaring tumagal ng maraming minuto pagkatapos ng initial alert siren, at ang mga bumabagsak na piraso nito ay mapanganib. Kaya mahalaga na maghintay ng 10 minuto bago lumabas sa bomb shelter (mamad) o protected space,” the embassy said in an advisory.
(The missile attack can last for many minutes after the initial alert siren, and its falling debris is dangerous. That's why it's important to wait 10 minutes before exiting the bomb shelter [mamad] or protected space.)
The embassy issued the the following reminders:
- If you hear a siren or receive an app/SMS alert, immediately go to a mamad (bomb shelter) or protected space (e.g., stairwell, hallway, or internal room with few/no windows).
- Even when the alert siren stops, still remain in the mamad/protected space for 10 minutes.
- A missile attack can be prolonged if it is part of a widespread or successive launch of rockets (prolonged rocket barrage). Therefore, even if the Iron Dome (Israeli air defense system) has intercepted the said rockets or drones, the entire attack might not be over, or the threat might not have disappeared yet.
- Because the aerial defense system does not provide perfect or 100% interception, staying outside or exiting the mamad to watch and take photos/videos of Iron Dome interceptions is extremely dangerous.
- It can also take several minutes for pieces of intercepted rockets or drones to fall to the ground. Therefore, anyone outside or exiting the mamad before 10 minutes will be in danger.
In a GMA news report, the embassy said it has convened its crisis management team to review the contingency measures for Filipinos.
This includes reactivating shelters and placing essential goods a different locations in Israel.
Ambassador Aileen Mendiola-Rau also said the embassy is exploring options on how to repatriate Filipinos, as the airspace of Israel and Jordan is closed due to missile barrages.
During a press conference in Quezon City on Saturday, the Department of Migrant Workers said there are an estimated 20,000 Filipinos currently in Israel. Of this total, 13,000 are documented workers, while 6,000 are undocumented.
The escalation between Iran and Israel began on June 13, when Israel reportedly targeted Iranian military facilities, prompting Iran to retaliate by launching missiles at various Israeli cities.
Israel’s subsequent operation, which began early Friday, June 14, has since targeted Iran’s air defenses and struck key nuclear and military sites — reportedly killing dozens, including top army commanders and atomic scientists, according to the Iranian government.
On June 15, Iran launched additional missiles at Israel, wounding several people in residential buildings, while Israel said it was striking Tehran. — with reports from Agence France-Presse
