By Ferdinand Patinio/Philippine News Agency
MANILA — The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is preparing for mandatory repatriation of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Libya after the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) raised the alert level from 3 to 4 in the host country.
“The Alert Level was raised to (Alert Level) 4, so we will implement a mandatory repatriation,” said DOLE Secretary Silvestre Bello III in an interview on Wednesday on the sidelines of the Trabaho, Negosyo, Kabuhayan (TNK)-Build Build Build-Jobs, Jobs, Jobs fair at the Kingsborough International Convention Center in San Fernando, Pampanga.
There are 2,600 documented OFWs in Libya, most of whom are health workers.
On the other hand, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) said it is still waiting for the official recommendation from the DFA as to the repatriation of Filipinos workers.
POEA administrator Bernard Olalia noted that the procedures for the total deployment ban require the official communication from the DFA to DOLE.
“After that, we will have consultation. Upon proper advice from DFA they will recommend the total deployment, and then we will have a Governing Board meeting,” he said in a separate interview.
The POEA head said as of this time, they have yet to receive an official recommendation from the DFA.
On Wednesday, the DFA has raised the alert level to 4 in Libya due to fighting around the capital. Last month, the DOLE also deployed a quick response team to Tunisia to assist in repatriating Filipino workers back home.
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