Baldoz advises 172 OFWs in Ukraine to stay put

Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz said yesterday that in as much as the Department of Foreign Affairs has not recommended voluntary or mandatory repatriation of overseas Filipinos in troubled Ukraine, her advice to OFWs in that country is to stay calm and stay home, and not make any unnecessary visit or detours to public places where marches or protests are being held.

Baldoz issued the advice after the Eastern European country that borders Russia on the east and northeast was rocked by civil disturbance in recent weeks that led to a new government.

The DFA has strongly advised all Filipinos in Ukraine to communicate with the Philippine Embassy in Moscow (the country has no embassy in Kiev, Ukraine’s capital, but has an honorary consul there) and inform the Embassy of their whereabouts and their current condition. It encouraged Filipinos in Ukraine to contact their families in the Philippines and apprise them of their situation. It also that Filipinos wanting to return to the Philippines should contact the Philippine Embassy.

Baldoz said POEA data show that only 115 OFWs were deployed to Ukraine in 2013 and 57 in 2012, or a total of 175. Most of the OFWs deployed were administrative and managerial workers (41) while 30 are service workers.

Baldoz said the DOLE is in close contact with the DFA in monitoring the situation in Ukraine.