OFWs on PH holiday may not return to China, HK, Macau yet – BI

MANILA, Philippines — Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) currently in the country for vacation will not be allowed to depart for China, Hong Kong, and Macau amid the prevailing travel ban, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said Monday.

But BI Spokesperson Dana Sandoval said the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) will ensure the protection of the workers despite the travel ban, which was imposed in the wake of the novel coronavirus outbreak, which started in Wuhan, China.

“Temporarily po due to the travel ban hindi po muna because wala pong distinction between visa types doon sa lumabas po na direktiba doon sa travel ban. So, lahat po ng Filipino nationals who are in the country will not be allowed to depart for Hong Kong, China and Macau,” Sandoval said in a press briefing in Malacañang.

(Temporarily, due to the travel ban, they will not be allowed because there was no distinction between visa types indicated in the directive for the travel ban. So, all Filipinos who are in the country will not be allowed to depart for Hong Kong, China, and Macau.)

“I fully understand po kung ‘yun ang talagang ikinabubuhay nila but I believe the POEA, the OWWA will be doing their part po in ensuring na itong mga trabaho nitong mga kababayan natin ay mananatili despite the travel ban,” she added.

(I fully understand that this is their livelihood but I believe the POEA, the OWWA will be doing their part in ensuring that the jobs of our fellow Filipinos will stay despite the travel ban.)

According to Sandoval, POEA and OWWA may coordinate with the workers’ agencies to make sure that they keep their jobs. She also asked the public to understand the reason behind the temporary travel ban.

“Siguro po coordination with their agencies para po maprotektahan ‘yung kanilang trabaho bago pa po sila makabalik sa bansa,” Sandoval said when asked what kind of assistance the POEA and OWWA may give the OFWs.

(Maybe it’s coordination with their agencies to protect their jobs even before they return to the country.)

“Given the situation, I’m sure everyone understands has been conducting their own restrictions when it comes to travel because dito nga sa kumakalat na sakit na ito. So I’m sure that people will understand, that we are doing this, the government is doing this for the protection of everybody,” she added.

(Given the situation, I’m sure everyone understands that each country has been conducting their own restrictions when it comes to travel because of the virus that has been spreading. So I’m sure that people will understand, that we are doing this, the government is doing this for the protection of everybody.)

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier ordered temporary travel ban on visitors from mainland China and its special administrative regions (SARs) in a bid to contain the spread of the 2019 novel coronavirus acute respiratory disease.

Macau and Hong Kong are among China’s SARs.

Edited by KGA