The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) recently issued an advisory that the deployment of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) for Lebanon has been suspended and no documents should be processed due to the intensifying tension in the country.

“We have a total ban on the deployment of documented workers since Thursday last week. We have stopped processing overseas employment certificates,” said the POEA Administrator Rosalinda Baldoz.

She also added that it would be hard and impossible if recruiters plan to sneak in sending OFWs in the war-torn country since the airports was one of the first facilities that Israel had bombed.

The POEA also said that the OFWs in Lebanon has been abandoned by their employers and left them in tragic situation.

According to POEA data, there are 14,970 OFWs are currently deployed to Lebanon. The Philippine Embassy is trying to coordinate with the Israel government to give safe passage conduct for the Filipinos that will exit Lebanon going to Cyprus.

Free Calls

Meanwhile, to rescue distressed OFWs in war-torn Lebanon and their relatives, the country’s top telecommunications companies issued statement that they are willing to provide free calls for them.

The statement said that relatives can now make free two-minute calls to their loved ones in Lebanon during during Saturdays and Sundays using Philippine Long Distance Telephone (PLDT) landlines through using PLDT Pwede! Cards and PLDT Budget Cards, and Smart and Talk N Text mobile phone booths over the country. Users can make voice call to Lebanon and Israel using PLDT landlines following the usual procedure prescribed for these cards. They can also make voice calls through Smart and Talk N Text cell phones.

While Smart, PLDT’s wireless subsidiary, has also set up “Libreng Tawag” Centers in Metro Manila, Cebu City, and Davao City. The “Libreng Tawag” Centers will provide free voice and short messaging service (SMS) for the families and relatives of OFWs affected by the current clash between Israel and Lebanon.

“We are trying to do our share in helping our fellow Filipinos working abroad. We also hope that this program will help their families get through this difficult period,” said Ramon R. Isberto, PLDT and SMART spokesman.

The Smart “Libreng Tawag” Centers can be found at the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) national office in Pasay City; OWWA Region 7 office at the Mezzanine floor, LDM Bldg., MJ Cuenco corner Legaspi St., Cebu City; and at the OWWA Region 11 office located at Door #8, PTA Complex, Magsaysay Park, Davao City.

While on the other hand, Globe Telecom and Innove Communications also launched “Libreng Tawag”. It is a special outreach program for Manila-based families of OFWs in Lebanon, according to a Globe statement.

Together with OWWA, they will also offer free IDD calls to relatives and friends of the OFWs. 

The “Libreng Tawag” Center can be found at the lobby of the OWWA Center Building in F.B. Harrison St. Pasay City. It will be available indefinitely until the affected OFWs are evacuated from Lebanon.