PH Lifts Saudi Arabia Worker Deployment Ban After Deal Secured
PH LIFTS SAUDI ARABIA DEBLOYMENT BAN – Earlier, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said his department had a temporary suspension of OFW deployment.
He cited that Saudi Arabia had new COVID-19 health protocols which would costs Filipino workers a whopping $3,500 to comply with. Furthermore, he stressed that the same amount of money was already a year’s worth of salary for most of the workers.
As such, he lobbied with Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to strike a deal that says employers should shoulder the costs for COVID-19 tests, quarantines, and other requirements. Following this, the Saudi government replied to his request approving his terms.
During an interview with ABS-CBN, Bello stated:
After receipt of the official communication from the Saudi government this morning which ensures us that the foreign employers and agencies will shoulder the costs of institutional quarantine and other COVID protocols upon arrival in the KSA, the temporary suspension of deployment to the Kingdom is hereby lifted
Additionally, he thanked the Saudi government for giving a quick response and assurance for the Filipinos. Moreover, Bello expressed that he understood the confusion and irritation among affected OFWs.
With this in mind, Bello apologized to the OFWs. As per the interview he said:
understand that the suspension order drew confusion and irritation among our affected departing OFWs. Again, I apologize for the inconvenience and momentary anguish that it may have caused our dear OFWs. It was to the best interest of our OFWs that such decision had to be made
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