Just a week ago, the POEA imposed a deployment ban to 41 non-compliant countries. Yesterday, an official from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced that they withdrew the negative certifications countries that reportedly failed to comply with the migrant policies that would provide sufficient protection for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) under the amended Migrant Workers Act.

This means that the government is temporarily postponing the implementation of the said deployment ban in 41 countries.

Foreign Affairs Undersecretary, Raul Hernandez said, “This deferment will give us time to revisit the 41 countries so that we can move forward.”

The previous news of deployment ban to 41 countries was met with negative criticism and disapproval from various OFW organizations. Even the DFA admitted that the ban could have adverse effects on OFWs.

On the other hand, various sectors that have been requesting the DFA to withdraw the negative certifications expressed approval with the news of deferment.

Valenzuela 1st District Representative Rex Gatchalian, one of the principal sponsors of the Amendatory Law on Magna Carta for Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos said, “Walang problema doon sa batas, pero ang nagkaproblema doon sa implementasyon.”

Apparently some of the counties that were included in the non-compliant list such as Mauritania, Kyrgyzstan, Serbia and Montenegro Lesotho, Libya, Mali, Cambodia, and Tajikistan, uphold the rights of migrant workers.

Susan Ople of the Ople Labor Center said, “Nakikita ko rito ay opportunidad para mag-dialogue tayo, DFA, POEA, ‘yung stakeholders, legislators. Iisa lang naman ang adhikain ng lahat eh, ang ma-proteksyonan ang mga OFWs.”

The former Department of Labor Secretary, Marianito Roque, said, “We have to strengthen our diplomatic relations in the countries we have many Filipino workers, upang sa ganoon makita ng mga bansa na iyon na tayo ay talagang interesado na bigyan ng proteksyon an gating mga manggagawa.”

The DFA plans to hold a dialogue with labor officials of the concerned countries so they can revise the list.