Manila, Philippines — President Aquino has extended the life of a high-level committee assigned to ensure the safety of Filipinos in the Middle East and Africa to December 31, 2010.

In Executive Order No. 6, the President said the operations of the Presidential Middle East Preparedness Committee (PMEPC) led by Special Envoy Roy Cimatu would be extended due to the lingering security concerns in some countries in the Middle East as well as Africa.

The term of the special committee expired last June 30, 2010. The group was created in 2002 by then President Arroyo mainly to protect Filipinos following the US-led war in Iraq. “Tensions, political instability, and armed conflicts continue to exist in some countries of the Middle East and Africa that directly threaten the safety and security of thousands of Filipino workers in these countries,” the order read.

“There is a need for the PMEPC to continue to assess and monitor developments and update contingency measures to ensure the safety of Filipinos in the Middle East and Africa, prepare and establish a specific contingency plan for each of the potential crises in these countries,” it added.