POEA imposes total deployment ban in Ebola-hit countries
MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) has approved a total deployment ban in three countries in West Africa hit by the Ebola virus.
“We now have a total deployment ban in these countries based on the Alert Level 3 issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA),” POEA Administrator Hans Leo Cacdac told a press briefing, referring to Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.
He said the ban covers newly hired and returning workers to the three countries.
Last October, the POEA prevented the deployment of newly hired workers to the three countries amid rising Ebola cases.
World Health Organization data showed that there are 18,603 Ebola cases, including 6,915 deaths in West Africa as of Dec. 17. Sierra Leone accounted for 8,356 cases (2,085 deaths); Liberia had 7,797 cases (3,290 deaths); and Guinea 2,416 cases (1,525 deaths).
Cacdac said the deployment ban is due to the continued threats posed by Ebola to Filipino workers.
POEA records show that there are around 900 Filipino migrant workers in the three countries.
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