DFA warns OFWs to leave Syria now

Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo has warned overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Syria to leave the country as soon as possible due to escalating violence.

Romulo said the DFA is raising Alert Level 3 for the entire country of Syria effective today as internal conflict between political leaders and parties has mobilized thousands to go on marches that caused eruption of violence on the streets.

“Under Alert Level 3 (voluntary repatriation), all Filipinos working and residing in Syria are enjoined to leave Syria and the Philippine Government will provide for the repatriation cost,” Romulo said in the DFA press statement.

He likewise directed the Philippine Embassy in Damascus to intensify its efforts to reach out to Filipinos and convince them that now is the time to consider leaving Syria.

There are more or less 5,000 OFWs in Syria who mostly work as domestic helpers. The Department of Labor and Employment estimated that 90 percent of the OFWs in Syria are illegal.

Demand for OFWs is sustained until 2010-Labor Department

13 November 2009

MANILA- Here is a bit of breather for overseas Filipino workers and their families.

Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Marianito Roque foresees that as the world economies recover in 2010, demand for OFWs will be sustained in traditional markets such as the Middle East, Guam, HongKong and in emerging markets such as Canada, Australia, Korea, Macau, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, Caribbean Islands, Slovenia, and Croatia.

Demand for Filipino seafarers overseas will also be sustained despite closure of some shipping lines in Japan and other countries, he likewise predicts.

Roque stressed on Thursday that the prospects for better employment situation both for local and overseas will receive further boost from spending and activities for the national elections in 2010.  These, he said, are seen to make a significant dent on unemployment which stands at 7.7 percent compared to 7.4 percent posted in January last year. Among the regions, the highest unemployment rate was recorded in the NCR at 14.0 percent during the same period, according to National Statistics Office (NSO) Labor Force Survey.

He said the employment prospects for Filipino workers will offset job losses that may arise in the manufacturing sector that may be affected by contraction in exports.  He said joblessness in this sector that may result from reduced exports would have minimal impact on the overall employment picture as employment in this sector constitutes only 8.3 percent of the total 35.5 million employed persons in the country.

Roque is optimistic that efforts to sustain the “resiliency” of the economy coupled with continued demand for OFWs and election activities are expected to buck joblessness and pave for a brighter employment situation in 2010.

He further said the employment picture in the country in 2010 is seen to be better than this year as the government has already set in place measures to sustain the economic resiliency program to enable the country take advantage of the projected global economic rebound in 2010.

He said the new resiliency program will prepare the country for the projected global upturn in 2010 by focusing on investments in new industries such as renewable energy, the green industries, information and communications technology, and science, technology and innovation which in turn are expected to generate new jobs for the workers.  (Gloria Esguerra Melencio)