OFWs may return to S. Sudan

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) has allowed the redeployment of overseas Filipino workers returning to jobs in South Sudan with the stabilization of the political situation there.

In a resolution dated June 30, the POEA permitted the reentry of Filipino workers to the African country as long as they had existing employment contracts there.

However, Governing Board Resolution No. 11 stressed that the deployment ban for newly hired OFWs would remain in effect.

“The POEA governing board resolves to allow the redeployment of returning Filipino workers to South Sudan, subject to proof of existing employment as determined by POEA. The deployment ban for newly hired OFWs shall be maintained,” the document read.

In 2012, the Philippine government imposed a total deployment ban of OFWs due to the worsening political and security conditions in the African country.

The partial lifting of the ban came after the Department of Foreign Affairs lowered its alert level in South Sudan to Alert Level 2, or the restriction phase, from Alert Level 3 or the voluntary repatriation phase.

The Philippine Embassy in Kenya, which has diplomatic jurisdiction over South Sudan, noted that there were no incidents involving Filipinos since October last year.

This has “provided a political environment conducive for Filipinos to engage in a business enterprise or own real property” as foreigners are allowed by the South Sudan government to do so.

Recently, deadly clashes erupted in the national capital of Juba between loyalist and oppositionist factions. Julie M. Aurelio and Toni Diane Bellen