The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration has ordered a deployment ban of overseas Filipino workers to the Federated States of Micronesia due to increasing reports of abuses and maltreatment committed against Filipino workers in that country.
In a statement, the POEA said it issued resolution No. 05-2018, which cites that no OFWs, both newly-hired and returning, will be deployed to the island nation.
“The POEA Governing Board resolves to impose a total ban on the processing and deployment of workers to the Federated States of Micronesia,” the POEA said.
The Department of Foreign Affairs recommended the deployment ban due to reports of OFWs abuses and maltreatment.
The resolution states that the ban would remain in effect until Micronesia “settles the unresolved cases and improves the working conditions of OFWs.”
The POEA blacklisted the Chuuk State Hospital in Micronesia following reports of ‘‘maltreatment, contract violations, harassment, discrimination and abuse of OFWs” warning job seekers to refrain from accepting offers from the said hospital.
In the same advisory dated June 19, the POEA cited a report from the Philippine Consulate in Agana, Guam that “the Government of the Federated States of Micronesia has made no effort in improving the working conditions and guaranteeing the timely payment of salaries and benefits of workers.”
Under Republic Act No. 10022, 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 OFWs, before allowing deployment.
There are more than 2,000 Filipino workers in that country, the POEA said.