News: OFWs still banned in 4 countries January 4, 2008
Posted by Don Kishote in OFW Blues, nigeria.Tags: nigeria, ofw, management course, jobs, overseas, naijapinoy, US, pirated, CD, DVD, NCLEX, CGFNS, US immigration
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(UPDATE) DOLE: OFWs still banned in 4 countries
The Department of Labor and Employment on Thursday reiterated the existing ban on the deployment of overseas Filipino workers in four countries due to political upheavals and peace and order problems.Labor Secretary Arturo Brion said a ban against the deployment of OFWs is still being enforced in Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon and Nigeria.
Brion said the ban in Iraq has been in effect since 2004. The government ban in Lebanon was imposed in June 2007.
Reports said the government has also stopped the processing OFWs who intend to work in Nigeria and Afghanistan shortly before Christmas last year.
In December last year, a Filipino seaman died in an attack that also led to an oil tanker explosion in Nigeria.
“Iyung previous bans noon maiikli, ito ngayon complete ban talaga. At sa bawat pagbabawal umaasa kami sa assessment ng DFA [Department of Foreign Affairs] (The previous bans were short, now, it’s total. We’re also expecting an assessment from the DFA on each of the deployment ban),” Brion said.
The labor chief admitted that there are still recruiters who illegally send OFWs to the four countries mentioned despite the ban.
Reports, meanwhile, said that there are 20,000 documented workers in Lebanon and thousands more who are undocumented.
As for the other countries, Brion said that the government has no records to show.
“Wala naman tayong record ng mga iyun kasi wala na tayong embassy doon (We have no records because we have no embassies there,” he said.
The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), meanwhile, warned recruitment agencies against violating the deployment ban in Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon and Nigeria.
It said that aside from revoking their recruitment licenses, agencies found violating the ban will be criminally charged.
The POEA said that OFW applicants affected by the deployment ban have a choice of applying as skilled workers in Canada, which has opened up 30,000 slots in the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
The POEA said that the demand for skilled workers is in line with Canada’s hosting of the Winter Olympics in 2010.
Among those in demand are nurses, health workers and mechanical and electrical engineers.
in this kind of reaction, you can only think of few issues.
1. the Philippine Embassy in Nigeria has no credibility in Manila since its reports are not considered in the policy-making
2. Malacanang and DFA don’t want to be put in embarassment over the death of OFWs, considering the many OFWs in death row in Middle East countries
3. Manila does nto consider Nigeria as a potential source of foreign remittance. It thinks that Nigerian OFWs contribution are a pittance compared to Saudi and Kuwait. So much so that RP is willing to send DH into these countries knowing that 80% of the time they will be abused.
4. RP is more than happy about the billion dollar remittance from rest of the world OFWs. So it is willing to sacrifice the jobs and livelihood of OFWs in these countries.
If Nigeria is like Iraq or Somalia or Darfur, maybe we will understand the government’s concern.
So far, we in Nigeria — especially from Lagos, Abuja and other non-oil states– are enjoying our stay here. Nigeria so far is such a gracious country and relatively safe (if you read the Aussie warning against travel to RP) to live and work.
As one naijapinoy said, it is the hazard of the job. Even if one stay in RP, one can get killed just for singing “My Way”.
Maybe instead of information from the Embassy, DFA should call pinoy community leaders located in Port Harcourt to provide DFA with correct first-hand information.
Just yesterday- January 11, I was prevented from boarding my flight at the NAIA by the immigration officer because of the ban for Filipino workers in Nigeria.
I work in Nigeria as a school administrator and spent the holidays with my family. Now at 40 years old, I am jobless in my own country.
My ailing eighty three year old mother expects me to sustain her doctor and medical bills. I have 3 kids in college and another one in High school.
If I do not assume my post back in Nigeria, I would have failed not only my children but my mother as well.
I am trying to get a letter to Kabayan Noli de Castro. I request for a waiver to allow me to return to Nigeria. I am hoping they will allow me this waiver simply based on compassion and humanitarian reasons. Two weeks before my arrival in Dec. 2007 my Mom suffered a stage 4 (the highest) heart attack. If I fail to raise the funds for her medical bills I fear the worst.
Please help me with the following:
1. To whom should I address my letter? How can I make sure that my letter and request is read?
2. Do you have other suggestions?
3. Will my argument be solid enough?
I am open to any suggestion.
Vee Esguerra
101 Cataluna Bldg
Las villas Valle verde
Ugong, Pasig
1. Address to the VP Office:
HON. NOLI DE CASTRO
Vice-President
Republic of the Philippines
7th Floor, PNB Financial Center, President Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard, Pasay City 1300, Philippines
Tel. (632)833-3311 or (632)833-8938 Fax No. (632)831-6676
2. Visit your Congressional office and request for assistance.
3. Look for the office of former Supreme Court Chief Justice Artemio Panganiban for assistance.
4. Write to Presidential Management Staff Secretary Cerge Remonde, Malacanang.
sana maalis na ng tuluyan ang ban sa Iraq maganda na naman ang sitwasyon doon ngayon, because my husband were still working there maganda ang kalagayan nila doon alagang alaga sila ng boss nilang iraqui free board and logging yun nga lang mahigpit silang hindi pinalalabas ng compound for their safety at para daw sila hindi mahomesick their employer bought some recreation for their needs, ayaw nilang umuwi dito kasi wala naman silang trabaho dito at tiyak gutom lang ang aabutin nila dito sa Pinas
tanong ko lang po kung totoo itong mga taong nagpupunta dito sa amin at nagiimbistiga tungkol sa aking asawang nasa iraq sabi po taga crame daw sila his name is manny vidal quinones. may kinalamn po kaya talaga ang gobyerno
i report mo sa NBI. or mag inquire ka sa Camp Crame.
Ano ba tinatanong nya?
dati ba sundalo asawa mo?
Is it true that Canadian Embassy ban for Filipino worker?
Please help me to understand & why?
There is no ban, actually. It is just that the Philippine Embassy consul in Canada has added new requirements to contracts affecting caregivers and DH that requires prospective employers to handle repatriation payments.
This has caused many canadian employers to shy away from pinoys.
For more info, please visit: http://www.adoborepublic.net/