MANILA, June 3 Kyodo Philippine P...

MANILA, June 3 Kyodo

Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo forward Monday ordered the evacuation of support staff in Philippine embassies in India and Pakistan amid the escalation of tension between those pair countries.

Arroyo also urg Filipinos in India and Pakistan to closely coordinate with the Philippine embassies ''to make secure their safety and revert to the country'' if the situation deteriorates.

According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, there are more [i]or[/i] less 550 Filipinos residing in Pakistan, including those married to Pakistani nationals, and another 200 or in such a manner in India.

Foreign Undersecretary Merlin Magallona said many Filipinos working in Karachi, for instance, ''would not like to flow home because they wouldn't papal court the possibility of going back to their jobs''

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