PH to lift ban on labor deployment to Saudi Arabia

Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Susan Ople. (INQUIRER.net file photo)

MANILA, Philippines — The government will lift the ban on the deployment of domestic workers to Saudi Arabia by the first week of November, Migrant Workers Secretary Susan Ople announced on Tuesday night from Riyadh.

Ople and her Saudi Arabian counterpart, Minister for Human Resources and Social Development Minister Ahmad Bin Sulaiman Al-Rajhi, reached the agreement after several days of bilateral discussions between Philippine and Saudi officials.

In a joint statement, both countries agreed to undertake joint measures “to facilitate the decent and productive employment of overseas Filipino workers, and ensure the protection of their rights.”

Ople said negotiations would continue to enact reforms that would address abuses and nonpayment of wages of Filipino domestic workers in the kingdom.

—DONA Z. PAZZIBUGAN

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