POEA reports slower recovery in land-based OFW deployment in 2021

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) on Monday said the recovery of the deployment of workers in land-based jobs is slower compared to sea-based employment.

At the Laging Handa public briefing, POEA Administrator Bernard Olalia said while the deployment for seafaring jobs is already returning to pre-pandemic record, land-based deployment is only back at 30% in 2021.

“Bagamat ang land-based po natin ay medyo umaangat, hindi po ganoon kabilis tulad po ng sea-based natin. Meron po tayong pinag-angat na 30%, magmula po sa datos ng 2021 kumpara sa 2020,” he said.

(Though our land-based deployment is increasing, it is not as fast as our sea-based deployment. We have an increase of 30%, from the data in 2021 in comparison to 2020.)

According to Olalia, the deployment of overseas Filipino workers dropped by over 74% in 2020.

Earlier, the POEA said job opportunities abroad such as for seafarers and healthcare workers are opening up as more countries relax their COVID-19 restrictions.

Olalia warned job applicants against transacting with illegal recruiters.

He also reminded them that the payment of placement fees should be done in the later part of the recruitment process. — RSJ, GMA News