By Christine Fabro
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has lifted the ban on deployment of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) that are bound for Saudi Arabia on Saturday (May 29).
DOLE Sec. Silvestre Bello III confirmed that foreign employers and agencies are responsible for the OFWs’ costs of institutional quarantine and other COVID-19 protocols that are being observed in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).
“After receipt of the official communication from the Saudi government this morning which ensures us that the foreign employers and agencies will shoulder the costs of institutional quarantine requirements and other COVID protocols upon arrival in the KSA, the temporary suspension of deployment to the Kingdom is hereby lifted,” said Bello in a statement.
This comes after a temporary suspension of OFW deployment to KSA was ordered yesterday (May 28).
“I have advised the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration to immediately implement this directive and provide the necessary clearance to all our departing Filipino workers to facilitate their travel to the KSA,” he added.
The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) Administrator Atty. Bernard Olalia earlier said in a Laging Handa press briefing interview that the KSA advisory was released on May 11 and was implemented on May 20.
“Nagkaroon kami ng communication sa Saudi government at humihingi kami ng clarification na dapat huwag isama ang OFW doon sa kanilang travel advisory dahil according to the rules, ‘yung employer ang nagbabayad doon pero walang natanggap na official clarification kaya nagkakaroon ng confusion sa ating mga OFW,” Olalia said.
In the travel advisory, it was clarified that OFWs shall be exempted for the costs of a 7-day institutional quarantine, COVID test and insurance coverage.
Meanwhile, Bello thanked the government of KSA “for acting with dispatch” in this issue.
500 OFWs affected by suspension
According to the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), about 500 OFWs were affected by the temporary suspension of the deployment.
It said that it provided ample assistance for accommodation, transportation, and food allowances for the stranded OFWs.
Moreso, Philippine Airlines announced on May 29 its acceptance of OFWs for in-flight services to Saudi Arabia (Dammam and Riyadh), following the decision of DOLE to lift its temporary suspension of OFW deployment to KSA.
It also said in a statement that OFWs who were unable to board their flights to Dammam and Riyadh may rebook their flights with waived rebooking service fees. –rir
