Lift OFW ban in Oman — envoy

Special Envoy to the Gulf Cooperation Councail (GCC) Ambassador Amable Aguiluz V is seeking the lifting of the ban on overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Oman.

Upon the instructions of President Arroyo, the ambassador is assisting in urging the Omani government to resume the issuance of visas to Filipino nationals.

"We are appealing to the Omani government to have the ban on OFWs lifted so as to ensure the continued employment of our fellow Filipinos there," said Aguiluz. "Oman had been a good host to our compatriots and we are looking forward to the day its doors would reopen for us."

He added that the additional remittances that will come from OFWs in Oman will be a big boost to help the economy. Most of those deployed in Oman are household workers, nurses, teachers and construction workers.

To express the desire of the government to have the non-issuance of visas policy lifted Aguiluz will fly to Oman in February to negotaite with concerned authorities.

The non-issuance of visas to Filipinos in Oman started in 2002. According to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), some 3,000 to 4,000 Filipinos were being deployed to Oman prior to the ban.