The SUN Hong Kong
T hese newly repatriated OFWs from Qatar add to t he rising number of jobless Filipinos More than 40,000 overseas Filipino workers are reportedly stranded in Manila amid the worsening conflict in the Middle East, w h ic h h as resulted in a deployment ban being imposed on most countries in t he region. This is apart from the more than 4,000 OFWs who have been repatriated from Middle East countries since war broke out between Iran and United States-Israeli forces. Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said the government is ready to assist all those who have lost their jobs, adding that there are 200,000 job orders in various countries now being offered to the displaced workers. Cacdac also said the stranded workers may also avail of the livelihood assistance and training being offered by the Department of Migrant Workers to repatriated Filipinos. He added t he group were given financial assistance before leaving their workplace and on arrival in the Philippines. Apart from Iran and Israeli, the countries where OFW deployment has been suspended include Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, along with Gaza, Syria, and Yemen. A total deployment ban is in force in Iraq and Lebanon. T he stranded workers are mostly staying at accommodation center of their recruitment agencies, while others have gone back to their provinces. There are also those who were on vacation or were about to return to their workplaces when the war broke out. Wit h no end in sight to the conflict, experts say the deployment to t he Middle East could seriously decline in the second and third quarters of the year. Latest reintegration fair also targets stranded OFWs But as t he crisis cuts deeper into the country, about half of those who recently returned are said to be planning to return abroad once the situation in the region stabilizes. “Many of our returning OFWs, just about 50 percent, still plan to go back (to work abroad)… Why? Because they have valid employment visas. There is no problem with that. It only means they were able to properly ask permission from their employers to go home,” Cacdac said on the sidelines of a reitegration fair. Those who do not wish to return to the Middle East will be helped in going to another country abroad if they so wish, while those who want to try their luck in the Philippines will be enrolled in a suitable reintegration program. Meanwhile, 88 Filipinos from Qatar were brought home on two separate fli ghts over the weekend. T hey took the number of repatriated OFWs from across the Middle East to 4,241.
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