MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines will lift the temporary suspension of deployment of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to Oman once the Omani government lifts its travel ban on the Philippines, an official of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) said.
POEA administrator Bernard Olalia said Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III has met with the Omani ambassador where they discussed the deployment suspension and travel ban between the two countries.
According to Olalia, Bello explained that the temporary deployment suspension was only for “practical reasons” which was prompted by the travel restrictions imposed by the Omani government.
Olalia said the Omani government has agreed to lift the travel ban in exchange for the Philippines lifting the temporary deployment ban to the country.
“Kapag nagkaroon na ng lifting sa Oman at tayo ay nag-lift na, ora mismo, makakapagpadala na tayo ng OFWs muli sa bansang Oman,” he said in a Laging Handa public briefing.
(Once Oman has lifted its travel restrictions and we lift the temporary deployment ban, we can send OFWs again to Oman.)
On June 18, Bello said the Philippines is temporarily suspending the deployment of OFWs to Oman after the country also included the Philippines in its travel ban.
Olalia said the Philippines deployed about 5,000 OFWs to Oman from January to May this year.