OFWs with tickets, OECs exempt from Kuwait ban: DOLE

FILE: Labor Secreatary Silvestre Bello III  (PNA PHOTO)

MANILA — The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) clarified that overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) with plane tickets for Kuwait and an overseas employment certificate (OEC) are exempted from the deployment suspension to the host country.

“Those who already have their plane tickets and OECs are not covered by the suspension of deployment,” said Raul Francia, head of the information and publication service of DOLE.

The DOLE official said only those with OECs and plane tickets would be allowed to leave for the Arab nation, adding that the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) would no longer process OECs for workers bound for host country in the Middle East.

“Once all the OFWs with OECs have been deployed, there will (be) no more deployment to Kuwait since the POEA is no longer processing OECs,” he said.

On Friday, DOLE Secretary Silvestre Bello III signed Administrative Order No. 25, suspending the deployment of Filipino workers to the said country.

The order, which was effective immediately, was issued in the midst of the deaths of seven OFWs there.

Bello also directed the POEA to stop processing and issuance of OECs to Filipino workers for deployment to the said country.