OFW deployment to Libya totally banned

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldo. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (Poea) on Friday imposed a total ban on the deployment of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to Libya amid the continued unrest there.

The ban was imposed on the recommendation of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), which raised the crisis alert level status for Libya from Level 2 (Restriction Phase) to Level 3 (Voluntary Repatriation Phase) in view of the worsening security situation in that country.

Level 3, which is the second highest in the four-tier emergency warning system for OFWs, requires Filipino nationals in Libya to leave voluntarily as soon as possible, with the Philippine government spending for the cost of the repatriation.

“We have received a communication from the DFA secretary on the new crisis alert level in Libya. Thus, the Poea governing board decided to impose a total ban on the processing and deployment of all OFWs bound for that country,” said Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz in a statement.

She said there was no need yet to send a Department of Labor and Employment augmentation team to Libya, but that the agency is ready to send one to assist the Philippine Overseas Labor Office if necessary.

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