The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) said overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Libya may now cite humanitarian grounds to be given exemption from the existing deployment ban in the African state.
Upon the recommendation of Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the POEA Governing Board issued a Resolution 12-2019, allowing OFWs working within the 100-kilometer (km) radius of the Libyan capital of Tripoli, to apply for an overseas employment certificate or exit clearance if they will opt to temporarily return home.
To recall, the government imposed deployment restrictions in the 100-km zone last year due to worsening armed conflict within the said area.
The grounds for exemptions from the deployment ban include the following reasons: returned home because of death or sickness in the immediate family; have to accompany and assist member of immediate family for the purpose of relocation, school examinations or registration, and medical treatment; to attend urgent banking and financing transactions; and to file court cases or appear in court hearings.
“OFWs can also travel to the Philippines, and back to Libya on other valid grounds or significant events to be determined by the Philippine Embassy in Tripoli,” POEA said in a statement.
Those, who are interested to avail themselves of the exemption may do so by presenting their passport with appropriate visa issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, or work permits issued by the Ministry of Labor of the State of Libya.
They should also submit the contract of employment verified, which has the necessary provisions, by the Philippine Overseas Labor Office; medical and life insurance policy provided by the employer; and contingency plan of their employer.
POEA stressed that the suspension in the processing and deployment of Libya-bound new workers, skilled workers, household service workers and workers returning to their former employers remains in effect for now.
Based on POEA’s records, there are at least 1,000 OFWs in Libya.