No plans to impose deployment ban in Yemen, Iran, Tunisia

MANILA, Philippines -  The Philippine government has no plans at this time to repatriate Filipino workers or impose a deployment ban in Yemen, Iran and Tunisia despite the growing tension in those countries.

Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) chief Carlos Cao Jr. said the government is closely monitoring the situation and would await further developments before taking any action.

“We will not rush into a decision yet and wait for further developments,” Cao disclosed.

“Barring any policy pronouncement from the Philippine government, we would observe a status quo policy at this time,” he added.

The recent popular revolt that led to the downfall of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has reportedly triggered political fallout across the Middle East.

It was reported that thousands of Iranian opposition activists rallied in support of popular uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia on Monday. One was reportedly shot in the incident.

There were also reports that massive protest actions are being held in Yemen to demand the ouster of President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Thousands of Filipino workers are currently employed in Iran, Yemen and Tunisia.

If the situation in those countries would worsen, Cao said concerned government agencies are expected to convene and come up with contingency measures.

“Normally, if the crisis worsens, the government will convene a crisis management team to assess the situation and decide what to do,” Cao pointed out.

The government, on the other hand, allowed Filipinos working in US military facilities in Afghanistan to stay and keep their jobs, at least until their contracts expire.

Recruitment industry leaders yesterday said they have received information that the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has sent a letter to the US Military Central Command permitting the Filipinos to continue their work inside the US military bases until their contracts expire.

Sources revealed the DFA decided to adopt the “Iraq formula,” that was implemented for the 1,800 Filipinos working inside the US bases in Iraq.

The DFA sent the letter after a high-level delegation headed by Ambassador Roy Cimatu flew to Afghanistan to check on the conditions of Filipino workers there.

Last year, the US Military Central Command ordered their contractors to repatriate all foreign workers from countries with existing deployment ban in Afghanistan.

A group of Filipino workers then called on the government to send a team to assess the situation in Afghanistan and lift the deployment ban to save the employment of thousands of Filipino workers.

The Philippine government imposed a deployment ban in Afghanistan several years ago due to the hostilities there.

Shortly after the 10-day visit in Afghanistan, the team led by Cimatu instructed the Philippine embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan to send a letter to the US Military Central Command informing them of the Philippine government’s permission for Filipinos, numbering around 6,000, to continue their work inside the bases until the expiry of their contracts.

“Those working outside the US bases will not be covered by the letter and they will not be allowed to have their vacation,” a ranking DFA official disclosed.

The permission granted by the Philippines does not apply to Filipinos working outside the bases in infrastructure and development projects extended to Afghanistan by the USAID, UN Relief Missions, and 50 other international NGOS in and outside of Kabul, the official said.

Recruiters said Filipino workers welcomed the development and expressed optimism that the government would eventually order the full lifting of the deployment ban in Afghanistan.

They said thousands of jobs are available for highly skilled Filipino workers if only the Philippine government would lift the deployment ban in Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, a Filipino worker believed to be suffering from severe illness was found dead in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Migrante-Saudi Arabia yesterday reported the worker identified only as a certain Cris collapsed and was declared dead by Saudi health authorities.

The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) said they are still verifying the authenticity of the report.

“Based on the accounts of those who had seen Cris, he was spitting blood, then suddenly he collapsed near an electronic shop in Batha, Riyadh,” said Mike Garlan of Migrante-Saudi Arabia chapter.

Quoting witnesses, Garlan said a medical team came to attend to Cris but efforts to save him proved futile.

Migrante called on the Philippine embassy to look into the reports as they noted that the body of the Filipino could not at this time be located.

“Unfortunately, when the embassy staff reached Batha, Cris’ remains had been taken by Saudi authorities out from the place; we are still trying to locate where his remains have been brought,” Migrante said.

Migrante expressed hope that Philippine officials would be able to immediately locate the remains and repatriate at the soonest possible time the still unidentified worker’s body. – With Rudy Santos and Pia Lee-Brago