THE Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) is now allowing returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to be deployed to South Sudan after over two years of being prohibited.
Based on Governing Board Resolution No. 10-2021, the POEA announced the partial lifting of the deployment ban to South Sudan.
"The POEA Governing Board resolves to allow the processing and deployment to South Sudan of returning Filipino workers with valid and existing contracts," said the POEA.
The deployment, however, will require the submission of an Affidavit of Undertaking from the employer to ensure the safety and security of the worker; a repatriation clause in the contract as a responsibility to be undertaken by the employer; a contingency plan from the employer to provide for the needs of the worker until safe return to the Philippines; and addendums to their existing contract it the above items are not present.
The POEA also said newly hired OFWs shall remain banned from deployment to South Sudan.
"The deployment ban for newly hired OFWs shall be maintained until further advice," said the POEA.
The POEA said the decision comes after the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) deescalated the Crisis Alert Level in South Sudan to Alert Level 2 (Restriction Phase).
This is due to the continued improvement of the peace and order situation in the said country alongside the commitment of the Unity Government to adhere and implement the provisions of the 2018 Peace Agreement that ended the civil war there.
"Under Alert Level 2, the processing and deployment of workers shall be allowed only for OFWs returning to their current employers and are with existing employment contracts," said the POEA.
The POEA imposed a total deployment ban for OFWs bound for South Sudan in September 2019.