The Philippines Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III has lifted the deployment ban on Filipino workers heading to Saudi Arabia. He had imposed the order barely two days back.
Bello, in a statement issued May 29, declared that the temporary suspension of deployment to the Kingdom is hereby lifted, following receipt of the official communication from the Saudi government this morning — which ensured that the foreign employers and agencies would bear the costs of institutional quarantine and other COVID protocols upon arrival in the KSA.
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He ordered the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration to enforce the directive “immediately” and provide clearance to all departing overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
While expressing understanding about the suspension order creating confusion and irritation among departing OFWs, Bello apologized for the subsequent inconvenience and momentary anguish, as the decision had been made in their best interests.
Bello, in a May 27 memo, had quoted DOLE reports that departing OFWs were required by their employers to shoulder the health and safety protocol for COVID-19 and insurance coverage premium upon entry. The memo drew a backlash from OFWs waiting to be deployed.
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The Department of Foreign Affairs also said that OFWs who were not vaccinated with Saudi-approved vaccines – Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines – would have to undergo swab tests and a seven-day quarantine upon arrival.
Meanwhile, OFW rights group Migrante had stated on May 28 said that the Philippine government should have offered to shoulder the costs instead of suspending the deployment based on the reports, Migrante highlighted its demands for the welfare of OFWs – that included adequate cash assistance, repatriation, benefits, and “swift and compassionate” services.– to Bello and President Rodrigo Duterte:
“[The Duterte government] does not help, but rather punishes, Filipinos who want to work in the KSA (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia), and especially those who have already processed their papers,” Migrante stated. (AW)
