POEA bans deployment of newly-hired Filipinos to Libya

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) issued on Friday (April 12) a resolution on imposing a total deployment ban of newly – hired Filipino workers to Tripoli in Libya and areas within the 100-kilometer radius of the capital.

The POEA has released the Governing Board Resolution No. 3 series of 2019 as recommended by the Philippine Embassy in Libya and endorsed by Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr., Chargé d’Affaires Elmer Cato said in a tweet.

In response to @DFAPHL’s Alert Level III declaration, POEA today issued GBR Resolution 03-2019 imposing a ban on the deployment of Filipino workers to Tripoli and areas within a 100-kilometer radius of the capital as recommended by @PhinLibya and endorsed by @teddyboylocsin. pic.twitter.com/SXNNI02CX8

— Elmer G Cato (@elmer_cato) April 12, 2019

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III earlier announced the total ban prior to the issuance of the resolution, as the Department of Foreign Affairs had also raised the alert level three, considered a “voluntary repatriation” phase, in several districts in Libya.

Armed groups and rival groups are disputing power and control of the country since the overthrow of dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011.

READ: DFA raises alert level 3 in Tripoli, several districts in Libya

Around 1,000 Filipinos are working in Tripoli and western parts of Libya, according to a DFA bulletin issued on April 4. /gsg