Deployment ban to Saudi strands 500 OFWs

MANILA, Philippines — About 500 overseas Filipino workers were stranded at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminals 1 and 3 yesterday after the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) ordered the suspension of departures for OFWs bound for Saudi Arabia.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III issued a direct order to the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) suspending the deployment of OFWs to Saudi Arabia starting May 27 after receiving reports that migrant workers were being made to shoulder the cost of quarantine and other health protocols upon arrival in that country.

Over 100 OFWs bound for Riyadh and Dammam on Philippine Airlines flights were lined up at the NAIA counters since
8 a.m. yesterday, waiting for clearance from the DOLE.

Recruitment specialist Lito Soriano, president of LBSE-Recruitment Solutions, appealed to Bello to reconsider the order, saying this would affect hundreds of OFWs scheduled to depart this week and the coming weeks.

Soriano said only the POEA governing board or President Duterte can declare a ban or stoppage of deployment.

He pointed out that under Republic Act 10022, the suspension or ban on deployment is the prerogative of the POEA board through a resolution and not of the DOLE secretary acting alone, even if he is board chairman.

“Maybe, he was misinformed,” Soriano said.

Lawyers of several recruitment agencies also questioned the internal order, asking who reported the violations and if these were already cross validated independently.

They said the POEA governing board must convene immediately to reconsider the suspension, adding that the board must hear out the OFWs and their families.

Most of the affected OFWs – who were not issued boarding passes yesterday – complained they were not informed of the order beforehand.

Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) said it did not receive an official advice from the government regarding the prohibition on the entry of OFWs in Saudi Arabia, resulting in the denial of boarding for 403 Filipino workers bound for Riyadh and Dammam.

In a statement, PAL said it regrets that it was unable to accept 283 OFW passengers for Riyadh and 120 for Dammam.

“We have been left with no other choice but to accept the unfortunate circumstances. We feel their pain,” the statement read in part.

It added that had they been informed of the order ahead of time, they would have advised the passengers way before their flights.

OFWs should not pay for quarantine

In the memorandum issued on May 27, Bello cited reports of unfair practices concerning health protocols related to COVID-19.

“The department received reports that departing OFWs are being required by their employers/foreign recruitment agencies to shoulder the costs of the health and safety protocols for COVID-19 and insurance coverage premium upon their entry in the kingdom,” it read.

The protocols include the stay at the institutional quarantine facility upon arrival in KSA and COVID-19 test.

Bello ordered POEA administrator Bernard Olalia to “effect” the temporary ban “immediately until further notice.”

“All OFWs bound for KSA should not pay for their stay at institutional quarantine and for their COVID-19 test,” Olalia explained.

He confirmed that the order affected about 500 OFWs, who were all scheduled to fly to KSA yesterday.

In a statement, Bello said the suspension will be lifted after the matter has been clarified.

Under POEA Memorandum Circular 1-2021, the licensed Philippine recruitment agencies and/or principals/employers of the OFWs should be responsible for the cost of COVID-19 health and safety protocols.

It also stipulates that they should be the one to provide the appropriate free COVID-19 testing to the OFWs, as required by the employer and the country of destination. – Richmond Mercurio, Sheila Crisostomo