Deployment of OFWs to India suspended

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) has temporarily barred the deployment of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to India. In an advisory dated Dec. 2, the POEA declared India as a noncompliant country” under Republic Act No. 10022 or the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995. “The deployment of Filipino workers to India cannot be allowed as long as India is assessed as a noncompliant state,” the POEA said, adding that the suspension was based on the assessment of the Philippine Embassy in New Delhi. “The deployment of overseas Filipino workers are only allowed in countries, where the rights of Filipino migrant workers are protected,” the POEA stressed. Records show that there are around 2,000 OFWs currently in India. Under the law, the Philippine government will only allow deployment if the host country has existing laws protecting the rights of workers; is a signatory to declarations or resolutions relating to the protection of workers; and has a bilateral agreement with the government on the protection of the rights of OFWs. —Tina G. Santos