MANILA, Philippines - Some 160 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) bound for Korea will finally be allowed to leave today after President Aquino lifted the deployment ban, following the easing of tensions between North and South Korea.
“The deployment will continue. There are around 160 OFWs. There are no longer risks according to the report of Ambassador Roy Cimatu. He already gave the go-signal that they can be deployed as scheduled,” Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said.
In a chance interview at the Hotel Sofitel in Manila, where Aquino was guest of honor at the awarding of the Model OFW Family of the Year, Baldoz told Palace reporters several subsequent batches will also be allowed to leave for Korea.
“It is safe for the workers to be deployed because the situation there has already stabilized.” Baldoz said.
“The resumption in deployment is an early Christmas gift to our workers who have long been wanting to leave and work in South Korea.”
The labor secretary clarified the contracts of these OFWs have not been nullified by the government, although President Aquino decided to defer their travel after North Korea made artillery attacks against South Korea.
Baldoz earlier said it was only a temporary suspension of deployment until after tensions between North and South Korea had eased.
This order initially affected 50 OFWs who were told to stay put until after the crisis is over, or if the situation stabilizes. ”The deferment is only for a few weeks. The others are not affected. It’s not a ban on all departing OFWs for December. That’s what we’d like to clarify,” Undersecretary Abigail Valte said.
“There is no ban. The assessment of the government team is that it might be best to be more prudent,” she added.
There are more than 46,000 Filipino workers in the Korean peninsula, mostly in South Korea. Undocumented workers reportedly number 11,000.
Aquino allots P1-B reintegration fund
In a related development, President Aquino has ordered the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) to allocate P1 billion as Reintegration Fund to be used as an effective loan program with low interest rates for OFWs.
The President said it was important for the government to help the returning OFWs in whatever way it could, given the sacrifices they had been doing for their families and the country.
With help from the Land Bank of the Philippines and the Development Bank of the Philippines, the government will conduct seminars on financial literacy, money management and similar technical discussions to equip the OFWs and their families to venture into business, he said.
The President also said the government would push for the creation of more job opportunities through livelihood programs that would assure Filipinos of a more comfortable life.
“It is very important for us to invest in our fellowmen’s strength. This is the objective of our administration, to open up more opportunities to live more progressively in the Philippines so there will be no need to look for a job abroad,” he said.
The Chief Executive said he had directed various agencies concerned – the Department of Foreign Affairs, DOLE, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration and the OWWA – to further boost programs that would directly benefit the OFWs.
“The DOLE and the OWWA have strengthened their programs and services by assigning additional labor attachés and welfare officers especially in the Middle East and some countries in Asia,” he said.
The government, according to the President, is creating 54 additional help desks to beef up the 554 previously installed in different cities and provinces of the country tasked to attend to the welfare of OFWs. – With Aurea Calica