Press Release 102-03
22 March 2003

DFA, DOLE AGREE ON EXEMPTIONS TO MIDDLE EAST DEPLOYMENT BAN

The Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Labor and Employment, upon consultations with OFW groups and Philippine Embassies in Middle East countries agreed to limit the scope of OFW deployment ban to new deployments to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Israel.

"New deployments" refer to workers whose travel and work documents have not been completed before March 20. All travel to Iraq, however, remains suspended.

Those exempted from the ban - and are therefore allowed to leave for the Middle East - are OFWs who are staying In Manila on vacation leave hence would need to go back to their employers and those who fall under any of the following categories:

•  Those whose families are still at the worksite;
•  Those whose work sites are situated far enough from the battle areas;

           and,

•  Those whose work visas are about to expire.

Philippine Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Bahnarim Guinomla assured Foreign Affairs Secretary BIas F. Ople that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is secure and quiet despite the outbreak of war in Iraq. Ambassador Guinomla recommended that Filipinos with complete travel and work documents and those currently on leave here in Manila be allowed to return to Saudi Arabia to enable them to fulfill their pending job contracts.

Ople agreed on condition that all these returning workers immediately report and register with the Philippine Embassy in their respective host countries in the Middle East.

Ambassador Guinomla also belied earlier reports of chaos and panic among Filipinos in Saudi Arabia including reports of cancelled outbound flights and overcrowding at the international airport. “Saudi Arabia remains calm and peaceful and our workers are familiar with the embassy's contingency plan. Please tell their relatives in Manila that these reports (of chaos) are simply not true," Guinomla said in his report.

End