Government allows OFW deployment to South Sudan

MANILA, Philippines - The government partially lifted its deployment ban on South Sudan, imposed more than three years ago, and allowed the sending of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) there, an official said yesterday.

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) has approved a resolution allowing the deployment of construction workers to South Sudan.

“The POEA governing board resolved to allow the processing and deployment of newly hired and returning workers employed by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA),” she said.

The Philippine government, Baldoz said, allowed partial deployment to South Sudan on the condition that employers will assume responsibility for the evacuation of Filipino workers if needed.

South Sudan is still under crisis alert level 3, although JICA informed the Philippine government that the security situation there has stabilized.

Baldoz noted that the POEA board came out with the resolution allowing partial deployment upon the recommendation of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

The DFA recommended that POEA process the work contracts of newly hired and returning workers employed by Dai Nippon Construction for deployment solely to JICA-funded projects of the Nile River Bridge and the construction of the water supply system in South Sudan.