MANILA — The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) has ordered a total deployment ban to the Federated States of Micronesia due to reports of abuses and maltreatment on overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the nation.
POEA Governing Board Resolution No. 05-2018, said that no OFWs, both newly-hired and returning, will be deployed to the island-nation.
“The POEA Governing Board resolves to impose a total ban on the processing and deployment of workers to the Federated States of Micronesia,” according to the resolution released Tuesday.
The order was issued upon the recommendation of Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) because of the reports of OFWs abuses and maltreatment.
It cited as an example the reports back in June 2017 of OFW maltreatment and abuses that led to the POEA blacklisting of the Chuuk State Hospital.
“The DFA strongly recommends the total ban on the deployment of Filipino workers to the Federated States of Micronesia unless it settles the unresolved cases and improves the working condition of OFWs,” the agency said.
Likewise, it noted the absence of the required certification from the concerned Philippine post that would allow OFW deployment there.
“The DFA relayed to the POEA that the Philippine Consulate General in Agana, Guam did not issue a Certification to the Federated State of Micronesia for the deployment of OFWs,” it added.
Republic Act No. 10022 provides that the DFA, through its foreign post, shall issue a certification to the POEA, specifying the particular provisions of the receiving country’s labor/social law, or the convention/declaration/resolution, or the bilateral agreement/arrangement that shall protect the rights of OFWs, before allowing deployment.
Records revealed that there are more than 2,000 Filipino workers in the said country. (Ferdinand Patinio/PNA)
