Advisory / OFW Deployment Bans

DFA Travel Advisories

PUBLIC ADVISORY ON GAZA AND PARTS OF ISRAEL 14 December 2012  In view of improved security conditions in Israel and Gaza as a result of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, the DFA Travel Advisory issued on 23 November 2012, which advised Filipinos to defer travel to Gaza and central and southern Israel in view of the Israel-Hamas conflict, is now lifted.Alert level 2 (Restriction Phase) for central and southern Israel and Alert level 4 (Evacuation/Mandatory Repatriation) for Gaza raised last November 20 are likewise lifted.   -END-

OFW Deployment Bans

LABOR DEPLOYMENT BAN TO FIVE COUNTRIES REMAINS 1 April 2009 - The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) reiterated the existing policy of banning labor deployment to Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan and Nigeria following an assessment of the security and labor conditions in said countries. "The government maintains and reiterates the ban on labor deployment to these places.  We ask the general public to respect the ban.  Our purpose is to keep away our overseas Workers from harm and avoid further risks to their lives," DFA Undersecretary for Migrants Workers' Affairs Esteban B. Conejos, Jr. said. Undersecretary Conejos added that Filipinos who would like to seek employment abroad may consider alternative countries where their safety will not be compromised. The security situation in Afghanistan, according to the DFA Undersecretary, remains unstable and volatile.  Last March 20, a Filipino carpenter was killed and another injured  in a rocket attack in Kandahar. There is an existing labor and travel ban to Iraq due to continuing security concerns.  Labor deployment to Nigeria is also on hold, especially to those working or traversing  the Niger Delta, the hotbed of local militancy. With the improved security situation in Lebanon, the lifting of the labor deployment ban is being considered given some progress in the conclusion of a bilateral labor cooperation agreement that will ensure the protection of the welfare of Filipino  workers, specifically minimum wage, reasonable rest periods and decent working and  Living conditions.  The Government issued the ban to Lebanon in 2006.There is also a current ban in the deployment of household workers to Jordan.  "For Lebanon and Jordan, we are in the process of negotiating the bilateral cooperation  Agreements.  We are coming closer to signing these agreements," Undersecretary Conejos said. Undersecretary Conejos said the DFA, the Department of Labor and Employment, and  other concerned agencies are continuously monitoring and assessing the situation in  The five countries.  Concerned Philippine embassies and consulates provide regular updates  To the DFA.  END Source: DFA Official Site