Gov’t bans OFW deployment to Thailand

MANILA, Philippines - The government yesterday stopped the de- ployment of Filipino workers to Thailand due to the escalating hostilities in the neighboring Asian country.

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said the Philippine Overseas Employment Administra- tion (POEA) governing board approved a resolu-

tion restricting the deployment of Filipino workers to certain areas in Thailand.

The Department of Foreign Affairs earlier raised crisis Alert Level 2 (Restriction Phase) in Bangkok, the Thai capital; Nonthaburi Province; Lad Lum Kaew District (Pathumthani Province); and Bang Phli District (Samutprakan Province), in view of the declaration of a 60-day state of emergency due to the escalating civil unrest and insecurity in the said areas.

Based on POEA records, the annual deploy- ment of OFWs to Thailand has declined from 9,204 in 2012 to 6,021 in 2013. Of the 6,021 OFWs deployed to Thailand last year, only 252 are new hires, while 5,769 are re-hires.