Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III. (File photo by GRIC C. MONTEGRANDE / Philippine Daily Inquirer)
MANILA, Philippines — The suspension of deployment of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to Israel may soon be lifted, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said Wednesday.
Bello said the announcement on the possible lifting of the suspension may be announced by labor authorities “anytime now.”
“Sa lahat ng mga nakikinig sa ating mga kababayan na gustong pumunta sa Israel para magtrabaho, maghintay hintay na lang po kayo because from our assessment mukha namang safe na ang mag-deploy,” he told an online media briefing.
(To our countrymen who want to go to Israel to work, just wait for a little while because it seems that it is now safe to deploy workers based on our assessment.)
“Anytime now malalaman ninyo kung ili-lift na ng POEA [Philippine Overseas Employment Administration] governing board ‘yung temporary suspension of deployment,” he added.
(Anytime now, you will know if the POEA governing board will lift the temporary suspension of deployment.)
However, Bello said the DOLE will still have to coordinate with the Department of Foreign Affairs before deciding whether or not the suspension should be lifted.
The DOLE temporarily halted the deployment of OFWs to Israel in May amid the tension between Israel’s military and Gaza militants.