POEA: Govt plans to lift OFW deployment ban in Nigeria Jan. 1

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) said the government plans to lift the ban on the deployment of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to Nigeria despite the death of 39 people there due to bombings on Christmas Day.   POEA Administrator Carlos Cao Jr., said the POEA board, headed by Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Baldoz is expected to issue the order lifting the deployment ban by New Year’s Day.   Cao said Baldoz "will convene the POEA board anytime to have the ban lifted effective January 1."  Cao expressed hope that the December 25 bombing will not affect the decision to lift the deployment ban to Nigeria.   The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) recommended last week that the deployment ban in Nigeria be lifted because the security situation there had already improved.   There are more than 7,200 Fillipinos working in Nigeria. The Philippines has an existing deployment ban in Nigeria because Filipino seafarers were kidnapped there from 2006 to 2009. Aside from Nigeria, there is an existing deployment ban in Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen.  In 2012, the Philippines and Nigeria will be celebrating its 50th anniversary of having diplomatic relations.   The DFA earlier reported that there are 5,000 jobs available for OFWs in the oil, gas and construction industries. - VVP, GMA News