PH temporarily suspends OFWs deployment to Oman

MANILA – The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) on Friday temporarily suspended the deployment of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to Oman.

In POEA Governing Board Resolution No. 05, Series of 2021, signed by Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary and chairperson of the board Silvestre Bello III, ordered the suspension on the sending of Filipino workers to the host country.

“Now, Therefore, the POEA Governing Board, in a meeting duly convened, resolves as it is hereby resolved, to impose a temporary suspension of deployment of Filipino workers to Oman until such time that Oman government allows entry of our OFWs and Filipino travelers to the said country,” said the order dated June 18.

The issuance of the resolution was in connection with the directive of Oman’s ban on the entry of travelers from the Philippines and other countries.

On June 14, 2021, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in its letter to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), referred to the directive of the Sultanate of Oman’s Supreme Committee on Covid-19 issued on May 4, 2021, which imposed a ban on the entry of travelers from the Philippines or travelers who passed through the Philippines less than 14 days prior to the application for entry, except for Omani citizens, diplomats, health workers, and their families.

Also, the Middle Eastern country has extended the entry ban indefinitely on travelers coming from the Republic of Sudan, Brazil, Nigeria, Tanzania, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, the United Kingdom, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Egypt, Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam, including those who transited through these countries 14 days prior to the request to enter the sultanate.

In the same letter, the DFA also recommended to the DOLE to consider the imposition of a temporary suspension of deployment of Filipino workers to Oman.

According to the DOLE, there are some 5,000 OFWs that have been deployed to the host country from January to May this year.

Bello and his Omani counterpart are set to meet on Friday evening to discuss the matter.