DOLE: No OFW deployment to Lebanon despite ceasefire

The Department of Labor and Employment clarified that the ban on the deployment of overseas Filipino workers to Lebanon stays despite the declaration of a ceasefire.

In an advisory, Labor Secretary Arturo Brion reiterated that DOLE's policy banning deployment and redeployment to the war-torn country is still in force even if the United Nations has declared the cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah.

Brion issued this statement amidst reports that the Philippine government may resume deployment of OFWs in view of the current ceasefire.

"The cessation of hostilities only provides an opportunity for our government and our people on the ground to assess the situation in the war-torn region. This is in line with our efforts to ensure the safety of our OFWs who are still in Lebanon," he stressed.

The labor official added that the prevailing peace between Israel and the Hezbollah should not be taken as a sign that OFWs are already out of harm's way, since the ceasefire agreement is still in its critical stage.

Citing reports he received from Lebanon, Brion said that the government is still implementing rescue operations and the telephone brigade continues providing assistance under the joint efforts of the Philippine Embassy and the Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Beirut.

"While the threat of conflict in the region remains, deploying OFWs to Lebanon is definitely out of the question," he said.

In fact, Brion said that three rescue teams have been activated to help OFWs who are being prevented from leaving by their employers.

Brion said a report from POLO said that one of the rescue teams is operating in Southern Lebanon, the other one operates in all other places, and the third team has been assigned to handle special cases. - Wenna A. Berondo