50 Filipino caregivers to fly to Israel on July 27 after lifting of deployment ban

Philippine Overseas Employment Administration building. Photo from www.poea.gov.ph

MANILA, Philippines — Some 50 Filipino caregivers are set to fly to Israel on July 27 after the temporary deployment ban there has been lifted, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) said Thursday.

POEA administrator Bernard Olalia said it is now processing the deployment of 377 caregivers which was previously halted due to the temporary deployment suspension imposed in May due to escalating tension and violence in the region.

“Dahil tapos na ang gulo sa bansang Israel, minabuti ng mahal na Secretary of Labor na i-lift ang temporary suspension at dahil dito, ‘yung ating pinoproseso na 377 caregivers patungo ng Israel ay atin nang ipo-proseso para sa kanilang deployment,” he said in a televised public briefing.

(Because the strife there has ended, the Labor Secretary have decided to lift the temporary suspension there and because of this, we can now process the deployment of at least 377 caregivers.

The 50 caregivers set to go to Israel are the first batch of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) that will go there after the temporary deployment suspension.

Some 30,000 Filipinos live and work in Israel, based on data from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, with around 400 OFWs staying at the Gaza Strip.

EDV