Ban deployment of OFWs to Poland, Dole asked

MANILA, Philippines — Due to the reported irregularities in the hiring of migrant workers in Poland, the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (Polo) in Geneva has asked Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III to impose a deployment ban to the Central European country pending the development of a regulatory framework that would ensure the protection of Filipino workers.

Polo Geneva Labor Attaché Cheryl Daytec has recommended that the processing of papers of Poland-bound workers be suspended due to the prevalence of contract substitution, bad working conditions and unjust termination, which force workers to run away from their employers.

Daytec said that as of Oct. 9, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration had already recorded 135 cases of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who had left their jobs.—JOVIC YEE