No more workers to Pakistan, Iran — OWWA

Amid the threat of war in South Asia, the government suspended yesterday the deployment of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to Pakistan and Iran.

Administrator Wilhelm Soriano of the Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration (OWWA) said OFWs will not be sent to the region for at least a week.

"We are advising our OFWs who are intending to go to Pakistan and Iran to adopt a wait-and-see attitude at this time," he said.

Soriano said the Philippine embassies in the two countries have advised against OFW deployment because of rising tension between the US and Afghanistan.

OWWA and the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) have been asked by the embassies to defer the sending of OFWs, he added.

Soriano said Iran hosts 500 OFWs, while Pakistan is home to 600 Filipinos, who are mostly members of diplomatic households.

Labor and Employment Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas said most Filipinos in Pakistan have no intention of leaving or being repatriated.–Mayen Jaymalin