Gov’t lifts deployment ban to Iraq, Yemen

MANILA, Philippines - Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) can be deployed again to Iraq and Yemen.

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) governing board has approved a resolution allowing deployment to the two Arab countries.

“The ban on deployment of OFWs to Iraq and Yemen has been lifted and we will now allow Filipinos to work in these countries,” she said.

Baldoz said the POEA governing board has issued three separate resolutions allowing deployment of Filipinos to Iraq, Yemen and Eritrea upon the recommendation of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

“The inclusion of Iraq in the list of compliant countries automatically lifts the five-year-old deployment ban,” she said.

Baldoz said last Feb. 4, the Philippine embassy in Baghdad certified Iraq as compliant with the guarantees of the Migrant Workers’ Act.

“The POEA governing board has agreed to lift the deployment ban on Iraq and resume the processing and deployment of returning workers or balik-manggagawa, or rehires, upon the submission of the list of areas identified as ‘no-go’ zones by the Iraqi (government),” she said.

Baldoz said the processing and deployment of new hires, except household service workers, shall resume upon conclusion of a bilateral labor agreement with Iraq and the identification of the restricted zones.

She ordered POEA administrator Hans Cacdac to fast-track the guidelines on the resumption of deployment of OFWs to Iraq, she added.

The POEA suspended the deployment of OFWs to Iraq in 2007 due to hostilities prevailing at the time.

The deployment of newly hired and returning OFWs to Yemen was allowed because of the improved political situation.

A total of 189 countries and territories are now certified as compliant or considered safe destination for OFWs.