PH to allow deployment of returning OFWs to Yemen

Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who have already worked in Yemen may now be redeployed after the alert level in all parts of the country was lowered to Alert Level 2 (restriction phase) by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) early this week.

Under the new alert level, however, newly-hired OFWs will still not be allowed to be deployed to the country.

The DFA said in a press release President Benigno S Aquino III approved Monday its recommendation to lower the alert level to reflect the current situation in Yemen. Previously, Sana’a was under Alert Level 4 (mandatory repatriation) while the rest of Yemen was under Alert Level 3 (voluntary repatriation).

The DFA promptly informed the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) Governing Board of this development.

“We anticipate that with the lowering of the alert level, the redeployment of returning OFWs to Yemen will now be allowed. We also anticipate that Yemen-based OFWs, who wish to return to the Philippines for a vacation, will be allowed to return to Yemen,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F del Rosario said.

The DFA expects that the POEA Governing Board will issue a new resolution that will allow the deployment of returning OFWs to Yemen.
The DFA raised Alert Level 3 on the whole of Yemen on May 24 and Alert Level 4 in Sana’a on June 6, and asked Filipinos who wish to avail of the embassy’s repatriation facility to leave the country due to the politico-security situation there.

Image from Microsoft Office website.