POEA lifts deployment ban to Nigeria, Libya, South Sudan

March 21, 2012 6:50pm

Philippine labor officials on Wednesday lifted the ban on the deployment of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to three countries — Nigeria, Libya, and South Sudan.

In a news release, Labor secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) governing board issued three separate resolutions on the lifting of the deployment ban.

POEA records show there are 2,152 OFWs in Libya; 1,691 in Nigeria; and 1,941 in South Sudan.

Nigeria 

POEA Governing Board Resolution No. 4 fully lifts the ban on the deployment of OFWs to Nigeria based on the recommendation of the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), noting the improved security situation in that country.

The ban on the deployment of OFWs to Nigeria was imposed on January 22, 2007 following kidnappings due to unrest in Nigeria at that time.

On March 13, 2007, the ban was partially lifted to allow the re-deployment of OFWs in Nigeria who were on vacation and were returning to the same employers.

However, it was reimposed on January 31, 2008 and the ban also covered Filipino seafarers onboard ships entering Nigerian ports.

A partial lifting of the reimposed ban was made on August 12, 2009.

Libya

Resolution No. 5 fully lifts the ban on the deployment of OFWs to Libya following the approval by the Office of the President of the recommendation of the DFA last Feb. 23 to lower the crisis alert level in Libya from Alert Level 2 to Alert Level 1.

The POEA Governing Board suspended the processing and deployment of OFWs bound for Libya on February 22, 2011 because of heightened political unrest there.

On December 20 last year, the Governing Board issued Resolution No. 10 which allowed for the gradual processing and redeployment of returning workers in the medical and oil sectors only, subject to proof of existing employment as determined by the POEA.

“The gradual processing is no longer in effect as the Governing Board now allows the resumption of the processing and deployment of Filipino workers to Libya,” Baldoz said.

South Sudan

In the third resolution, Resolution No. 6, the POEA Governing Board lifts the ban on the deployment of OFWs to South Sudan, which was imposed on March 30, 2005 in all of Sudan, except Khartoum and the Kenana Sugar Plantation in the White Nile, because of the unstable peace and order situation in that country.

On January 13 this year, the Governing Board issued another resolution, Resolution No. 1, imposing a total ban to South Sudan and deferred the processing and deployment of OFWs there until its political and security conditions have normalized.

“The decision to lift the ban in the deployment of OFWs to South Sudan was made in the wake of the DFA’s recommendation lowering the crisis alert level in South Sudan from Alert Level 3 to Alert Level 1,” said Baldoz. – VVP, GMA News

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http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/252250/pinoyabroad/poea-lifts-deployment-ban-to-nigeria-libya-south-sudan

OFWs LAUNCH GLOBAL WEBWIDE PROTEST TO STOP PHILHEALTH PREMIUM INCREASE

JULY 20, 2012 – Overseas Filipino Workers will use Facebook and Twitter to protest the impending plan of Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (Philhealth) to increase its premium. Dubbed as Global Webwide Protest to Stop Philhealth Increase which will run from July 20 – 25, 2012 in different social media platforms, the online protest was initiated by Pinoy Expats/OFW Blog Awards founding president Kenji Solis who is based in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has now adherents from 67 countries majority are OFWs from the Middle East or Gulf countries, followed by Singapore and Hong Kong.

The Philhealth Board recently issued Circular No.022 imposing a 150% hike in health premium for OFW members from PhP 900 to become P2, 400; OFWs find this increase extremely exorbitant and inconsiderate because not many of OFWs were consulted. Through its Facebook page Global OFW Voices – the voices of more than 10,000 OFWs, is being mobilized to stage synchronize protest on the different social media platforms of Philhealth, government officials including the President PNOY and other government agencies to air a unified message against the increase.

OFWs globally plead to stop and immediately implement a moratorium on imposing the increase until a comprehensive and genuine consultation with most OFWs and other stakeholders have been conducted. The government has to consider the mobile or transient nature of OFWs, and recognize their unique circumstances where majorities do not directly benefit from the insurance since most of them are already provided with far better and superior health insurances by their companies. In particular, Philhealth should be more sympathetic on OFWs who are earning meager salary like domestic helpers, laborers, janitors, food servers, or those categorized as unskilled workers who find the increase as an added burden to pay before they leave abroad. The said increase is a direct violation of RA 10022, otherwise known as the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipino Act of 1995 that “prohibits increase in government fees for services rendered to OFWs and their dependents.”

It is unfair for OFWs to be treated as revenue mill or as OFWs consider themselves as government’s milking cow. With their dollar remittances that keep the Philippine economy afloat including the strengthening of peso against the dollar, it is unfortunate that the government continue to levy additional fees on this sector. Although OFWs do not oppose government’s plan to provide universal health insurance to the poor, it is immoral to use solidarity to burden the already suffering workers overseas.

The group calls for a comprehensive discussion with Philhealth and other government agencies to agree on an equitable premium among OFWs and stop the increase until a mutual agreement has been reached.

For more information on this protest, visit:
https://www.facebook.com/events/499223546758755/
https://www.facebook.com/PEBAWARDS
http://twitter.com/pebawards
https://www.facebook.com/OFWVOICE
Webwide Protest Against Philhealth Premium increase
Friday, July 20 at 7:00am in UTC+03 at Worldwide