MANILA, PHILIPPINES – As repatriation activities continue to become harder, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) of the Philippines has urged all Filipinos in Libya and Yemen to immediately come home.
DFA Secretary Albert del Rosario said the past week has been very difficult for governments around the world to repatriate their nationals in Libya and Yemen due to the worsening crisis in those countries.
“Let us not wait for the time that it will become impossible for us to take you out (of Libya and Yemen),” Del Rosario said in a video message posted on the official Gazette of the Philippine government.
“Now is the right time to get out,” he added.
Meanwhile, secretary of Labor and Employment Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz said that Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who are affected by the mandatory repatriation due to security crisis in Libya and Yemen can be redeployed in other countries which are in need of their skills.
Citing a report from Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) Administrator Hans Leo Cacdac, Secretary Baldoz said that the redeployment scheme is a workable option for the OFWs’ re-employment, aside from returning home.
“Our repatriation to redeployment for re-employment plan guarantees the security as well as the economic welfare of our OFWs. We need to quickly respond. And I am glad to note that the steadfast inter-agency team of the DOLE, POEA, OWWAA, and the DFA is leaving no stones unturned to ensure the well-being of our OFWs,” Baldoz said.
Administrator Cacdac reported that the skilled OFW workers in Libya and Yemen who can find work in alternative foreign job markets identified by POEA are: managers (general and assistant), clerks (library, filing, material and production planning, stock); bakers, pastry cooks, and confectionery makers; bricklayers, stonemason, and tile setters; carpenters, joiners, and parquetry workers; construction workers, laborers/general helpers; mach fitters/assemblers, machine tool operators; motor and automotive mechanic, crane, hoist, earthmoving and related machinery operators; plumbers and pipefitters, production and related workers, riggers and cable splicers, structural and metal preparers and erectors; production supervisors and general foremen, welders and flame-cutters, electrical wiremen; engineering technicians, civil, electrical and electronics engineers, nurses, building caretakers, charworkers cleaners, cooks and related workers; fire-fighters, housekeeping and related service workers; waiters, bartenders and related workers.
Meanwhile the skilled workers in Yemen who can be redeployed in other job host countries are: accountants, administrative officers, anaesthesiologist, architects, finance, purchasing, coordinator, and secretarial assistants; flight attendants, baby sitters, caregivers and domestic workers, baker, bartender, beautician, charworkers (cleaners and maintenance personnel); clerk/receptionist, document, material and quality controllers; assistant cooks, banquet coordinators, cooks and chefs; dieticians and dieticians’ assistants; draftsmen, electricians, engineers, heavy equipment mechanics, managers and supervisors, mechanics, midwives, nurses, machine operators, painters, security officers, supervisors, teachers and teaching assistants; technicians, x-ray technicians, welders, and wiremen.
Secretary Baldoz said that most of the skills deployed in Libya are semi-skilled, skilled and professional workers for the constructions industry and healthcare professionals which are predominantly nurses.
“The workers in the construction industry that will be displaced or repatriated from Libya and Yemen can be assisted/referred for re-employment in other regions mainly in Asia and the Middle East,” said Baldoz. – BusinessNewsAsia.com