AROUND 500 overseas Filipino workers (OFW) bound for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) on Friday became the first to be affected by the sudden temporary deployment suspension imposed by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III ordered the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) to impose the suspension after getting reports that some employers and foreign recruitment agencies in KSA were making OFWs pay for their health and safety protocol compliance as well as insurance coverage.
He noted the report violated the POEA policy requiring recruitment agencies and employers to shoulder the Covid-related expenses of their OFWs.
In compliance with the new policy, POEA Administrator Bernard P. Olalia issued Advisory No. 66 (s. 2021) suspending the deployment of all OFWs to KSA.
The deployment suspension took effect on Friday (May 28) and stranded 464 OFWs, according to DOLE spokesman Rolly Francia.
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Members of the recruitment industry questioned the legality of the suspension order since it did not first go through the POEA Governing Board.
“Under Republic Act 10022, suspension or ban on deployment is the prerogative of the POEA Governing Board through a Board Resolution, not of the DOLE Secretary acting alone, even if he is the chairman thereof,” LBS E-Recruitment Solutions Lito Soriano said in a statement,
Meanwhile, migrant advocate group Blas F. Ople Policy Center (BFOPC) urged DOLE to exempt OFWs whose employers are willing to pay for the Covid-19 protocols compliance.
BFOPC head Susan Ople noted some Saudi employers are still willing to shell out the additional US$900 to hire skilled OFWs.
“We are referring here to skilled workers, who are the breadwinners of the family. It would be so unfortunate if they lose the chance to earn a good salary despite having an employer willing to defray the costs of Covid-19 health protocols in Saudi Arabia because of this blanket temporary ban,” Ople said in a statement.
Ongoing talks
Olalia said POEA will lift the policy once the KSA issue clear guidelines on the payment of Covid-relates expenses of OFW in line with their policy.
Labor attache in Riyadh Fidel A. Macauyag said they already coordinated with the Saudi officials to address the matter.
“In fact, I already talked with officials from the [Saudi] Ministry of Labor officials last night (May 27) and I explained to them that the order of the Secretary is only temporary,” Macauyag said.
He said the Saudi official committed to submit their response on Bello’s appeal on the protocols for OFWs during the weekend.
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