Gov’t allows in-person training, assessment for outbound OFWs in areas under looser COVID-19 restrictions

Face-to-face training and assessments of outbound overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) will now be allowed in areas under looser COVID-19 restrictions. 

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said on Friday that the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) gave its permission on Thursday.

“This forms part of our assistance to workers who already have employment opportunities. These include training and assessments for domestic work, caregiver, housekeeping qualifications and ship’s catering,” he said.

The training and assessments must be conducted by the technical vocational institutions and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority technology institutions in areas under general community quarantine or lower and are subject to compliance with the minimum health standards. 

The IATF said the assessment site should only accommodate up to 50% capacity.

OFWs are generally allowed to leave the country except for medical workers covered by the temporary deployment ban. — Virgil Lopez/RSJ, GMA News