Senator Nancy Binay. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / NINO JESUS ORBETA
Senator Nancy Binay called on the government on Wednesday to take a “calm and sober” approach on the Middle East crisis, saying its decision to temporarily ban the deployment of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Qatar may have been “premature.”
“Let us take a calm and sober approach in addressing the needs of our workers in Qatar. The move to abruptly suspend the deployment of Filipino workers to Qatar may have been premature considering that we have heard no complaints so far from the OFWs who are based there,” Binay said in a statement.
Binay said the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) should speak with one voice since any policy decisions on the issue could affect the more than 200,000 OFWs in Qatar.
She noted that the decision to suspend the deployment came only from the DOLE “without prior coordination and consultations with the DFA.”
READ: DOLE chief suspends OFW deployment to Qatar
“I would like to know whether the DFA concurs with the suspension order because this is a diplomatic row involving several countries all of whom are long-time allies and friends of the Philippines,” said the senator.
Binay also expressed hope that DOLE Secretary Silvestre Bello III and DFA Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano could work together in mapping out a unified plan to help OFWs in Qatar especially when the current situation escalates into a full-blown crisis.
“This is an internal problem among the Gulf states and we should be patient and understanding as their leaders try to resolve their problems in a diplomatic manner. It is in our strategic interest to remain in everyone’s good graces,” she said.
The senator assured the families of Qatar-based OFWs that the government is ready to help their loved ones.
“The government is ready to extend help. Right now, the government of Qatar has given its assurances that it is capable of looking after the needs of its citizens and foreign guests including migrant workers. Let us await the DFA’s assessment of the situation before making any further moves that may offend any of our allies,” Binay said.
The senator expressed hope that the ongoing diplomatic row between Qatar and Gulf states such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Egypt, Yemen, and Maldives might be over soon in light of Qatar’s reported openness to hold a dialogue through the intervention of Kuwait.
“Let’s pray that this diplomatic crisis will be over soon. Meanwhile, our embassy should maintain an open line of communications with our workers and their employers,” she said.
“Maging yung mga kapamilya po, sana ay makipag-ugnayan din sa DFA, Dole o Overseas Workers Welfare Administration para malaman ng ating gobyerno ang tunay na kalagayan ng mga kamag-anak nila sa Qatar (Even to the family members, it is better to coordinate with the DFA, DOLE and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration in order for the government to know the real situation of your relatives in Qatar),” Binay added. JPV