MANILA - THE Philippines said on Wednesday it was not planning to evacuate its more than 300,000 citizens in Japan amid the deepening nuclear crisis there.
Foreign Minister Albert del Rosario said those who were concerned about possible radiation exposure would need to leave using their own means.
'There's no mandatory repatriation,' Mr del Rosario told reporters.
Explosions and fire at a Japanese nuclear plant, crippled by a quake and tsunami last Friday, unleashed dangerous levels of radiation this week.
The threat of radiation poisoning triggered moves by foreign governments, including China and Europe, to start evacuating their citizens.
The foreign ministry also issued a statement saying that it would follow Japanese government advice in determining if there was a need to organise a mass evacuation of Filipinos. 'If, as determined by Japanese officials, relocation and repatriation become necessary, the Philippine government will defray the cost to undertake the required measures,' the statement said. -- AFP
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