POEA delays OFW deployment ban

The Philippines Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) is considering deferring for three months the planned deployment ban on 41 countries that were earlier certified as unsafe for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), a ranking labor official said Tuesday.

POEA administrator Carlos Cao Jr. said the agency’s governing board was considering deferring the ban, which is to take effect this November 17, after the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) formally asked for its postponement.

“We are now looking into the letter of request from the DFA for a 90-day deferment on the ban,” Cao said in an interview.

He said the POEA governing board would take into consideration the DFA request as it also consults with other government agencies and affected sectors.

The DFA asked the POEA to defer the deployment ban to 41 countries to avoid straining diplomatic relations with these nations.

Under the new Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipino Act, the DFA was mandated to certify countries to determine if they had enough protection for OFWs.  Philip C. Tubeza