Worker deployment ban to Lebanon partially lifted — Roque

MANILA, Philippines - The worker deployment ban to Lebanon has been partially lifted by the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE). The order covers only those with existing contracts, new employment is still prohibited. Labor Secretary Marianito D. Roque Thursday said he has instructed the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) to evaluate job orders from Lebanon to ensure that these follow POEA guidelines. "I have already given instructions to look into the existing job offers and ensure that the employer and the contract abides by our rules, and see if they are worth considering," said Mr. Roque. Worker deployment to Lebanon was banned in 2006 when violence between Hezbollah and Israeli forces escalated. At that time, the DoLE evacuated 7,000 Filipino workers. Lifting of bans Recruiters have sought the lifting of deployment bans to Lebanon, Nigeria, Afghanistan and Iraq. Jackson Gan, Federated Association of Manpower Exporters vice-president, said that there are less demand for Filipinos in countries where workers are freely deployed. Mr. Roque said that the ban remains for Iraq and Afghanistan due to security risks. — Emilia Narni J. David, BusinessWorld