DEPLOYMENT of overseas Filipino workers to Saudi Arabia has not been lifted to give way to negotiations between Manila and the Saudi government to resolve alleged abuses by employers on OFWs, particularly domestic helpers.
In a clarificatory notice by the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE), the agency reiterated that the deployment ban of Filipino domestic workers to Saudi Arabia is still in effect, contrary to a fake advisory purportedly issued by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), which said that the suspension of deployment of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been lifted.
Labor secretary Silvestre Bello III noted that the fake advisory that had circulated online has caused confusion among the public and the workers who are seeking deployment to Saudi Arabia.
DoLE information and public service director Rolly Francia added that “there is no iota of truth to the content of that advisory (because) the suspension of deployment remains (in force).”
The fake advisory was dated April and carried the name of POEA but POEA administrator Bernard Olalia and Francia both confirmed that they had not signed nor issued such a pronouncement.
“The unscrupulous authors of the sham manufactured the document by using an old advisory and substituted its contents for it appear as a legitimate issuance,” Francia said.
“Thus, it also suggests intention to compromise the credibility of POEA and injure the current leadership of the agency,” he added.
The labor official also disclosed that labor department is now coordinating with law enforcement agencies to track down the source of the bogus advisory with the intention of applying the full force of the law to whoever is behind the criminal act which could undermine the welfare of our migrant workers.
