Philippines imposes workers' deployment ban to Egypt

MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) - The Philippine government imposed a total deployment ban of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to Egypt due to the worsening security situation there, a senior government official said here today.

Philippine Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz, chairperson of the Governing Board of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), said the decision was reached after an emergency meeting on Thursday.

The Philippines' Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) also on Thursday raised its crisis alert level against Egypt to level 3 which entails the voluntary repatriation of Filipinos in Egypt.

Baldoz said the DFA informed her office that it had raised the crisis level alert against Egypt, in view of the escalating civil unrest and insecurity, as well as the declaration of a month-long state of emergency in the country.

"It is not safe for OFWs to go to Egypt and work there, considering the present circumstances," she said.

Meanwhile, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte today appealed to the Flipinos in Egypt to follow the advisory of the Philippine Embassy in Cairo for their own security.

She made the call as OFWs in Egypt reportedly did not want to avail of the voluntary repatriation for fear that they would not have work when they return to the Philippines. There are around 6, 000 Filipinos in Egypt.

On July 9, the DFA warned Filipinos in Egypt to prepare for a possible evacuation amid the deteriorating peace and order situation there in the wake of fresh clashes following the ouster of former Egyptian President Mohammad Morsi.