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PH agency blacklists FSM
Filipino workers banned from deploying to FSM
MANILA—An agency of the Philippine government has ordered a total deployment ban to the Federated States of Micronesia due to reports of abuses and maltreatment of Filipino workers in the nation.
The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration’s governing board resolution 05-2018 said that no Filipino workers, both newly-hired and returning, will be deployed to the island-nation. Filipino workers overseas are usually referred to by the Philippine government as OFWs, or overseas Filipino workers.
“The POEA governing board resolves to impose a total ban on the processing and deployment of workers to the Federated States of Micronesia,” according to the resolution released Tuesday.
The order was issued at the recommendation of Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs because of reports of maltreatment of Filipino workers.
It cited as an example the reports back in June 2017 of maltreatment and abuses that led to the POEA blacklisting the Chuuk State Hospital.
“The DFA strongly recommends the total ban on the deployment of Filipino workers to the Federated States of Micronesia unless it settles the unresolved cases and improves the working condition of OFWs,” the agency said.
It also noted the absence of the required certification from the concerned Philippine post that would allow the deployment of Filipino workers there.
“The DFA relayed to the POEA that the Philippine Consulate General in Agana, Guam did not issue a certification to the Federated State of Micronesia for the deployment of [Filipino workers],” it added.
A Philippine law, called Republic Act 10022, provides that the DFA, through its foreign post, shall issue a certification to the POEA, specifying the particular provisions of the receiving country’s labor/social law, or the convention/declaration/resolution, or the bilateral agreement/arrangement that shall protect the rights of Filipino workers before allowing deployment.
There are reportedly more than 2,000 Filipino workers in FSM. (PNA)
