POEA allows deployment of rehired OFWs to South Sudan

Photo: POEA/Facebook

MANILA—The Philippines Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) has allowed the redeployment of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in South Sudan as the political situation there has been stabilized.

Based on Governing Board Resolution No. 11, the POEA allows the reentry of Filipino workers in the African country provided that they have employment there.

However, the resolution noted that the ban on the deployment of new hires remain.

“Now, therefore, the POEA Governing Board, in a meeting duly convened, resolves as its is hereby resolved, to allow the redeployment of returning Filipino workers to South Sudan, subject to proof of existing employment as determined by POEA. The deployment ban for newly-hired OFWs shall be maintained,” the order which was approved last June 30 and was only disseminated on July 4.

The lifting of the ban on rehires was prompted by the information from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) that the latter has lowered the alert level in South Sudan from Alert Level 3 (Voluntary Repatriation) to Alert Level 2 (Restriction Phase) in view of the improved situation in the said country.

With this, the POEA reiterated that the under Alert Level 2, processing and deployment of workers shall be allowed only to OFWs returning to their current employers and are with existing employment contracts.

On Jan. 13, 2012, the POEA Governing Board issued Resolution No.1, Series of 2012, based on Crisis Alert Level 3 imposed by the DFA on South Sudan due to the worsening political and security conditions in the country thereby prohibiting the deployment of workers.

But, in March 22, 2012, the total ban was lifted due to the lowering of the Crisis Level by the DFA, from Alert Level 3 to Alert Level 1 but the deployment ban was reinstated on Dec. 24, 2013 based on Crisis Alert Level 3 as ordered by DFA due to the deteriorating peace and order conditions brought about by the continuing ethnics violence.