Phl to lift ban on OFWs in Jordan, Lebanon

Manila, Philippines -  The Philippine government may soon lift the existing ban in deployment of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Jordan and Lebanon.

“There’s a big chance that the new standard employment contract for Lebanon and Jordan would be ironed out because we have been exchanging drafts,” Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) chief Hans Cacdac said.

Cacdac is leaving the country next week to finalize the signing of a proposed standard employment contract for household service workers with the governments of Jordan and Lebanon.

Among others, the proposed contract set the minimum wage for Filipino household service workers at $400.

In July 2007, the Philippine government imposed a deployment ban in Lebanon due to hostilities there. Despite the ban, OFWs have continued to sneak into Lebanon, where there are now an estimated 50,000 Filipino workers.

Cacdac said he would also be going to Kurdistan in northern Iraq to meet with potential employers of OFWs. The POEA has allowed the resumption of deployment to Kurdistan after the Department of Foreign Affairs declared it as a safe destination for OFWs.