THE Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has imposed a total deployment ban for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) bound for war-torn Sudan.
Based on Advisory No. 13-2023, the DMW said all Sudan-bound OFWs shall not be allowed to be deployed in the Northeast African country.
“To ensure the safety and welfare of OFWs, the DMW hereby suspends the processing and deployment of all Sudan-bound OFWs, including balik manggagawa, new hires, crew change, and shore leave Filipino seafarers,” said DMW Acting Secretary Bernard Olalia.
“The DFA has raised Alert Level 3 (Voluntary Repatriation) in Sudan due to the ongoing political situation in the country,” said Olalia.
He directed all recruitment and manning firms to turn their focus on their workers currently deployed in Sudan.
“All recruitment and manning agencies are instructed to monitor affected OFWs in Sudan, provide the necessary assistance, and to coordinate immediately with the DMW on the situation of the workers,” said Olalia.
Last month, clashes broke out across Sudan, particularly in the capital city of Khartoum, between the rival camps of Sudan military leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.
This forced the Philippine government to undertake a massive evacuation operation for hundreds of OFWs in Sudan.
At least 152 more OFWs from Sudan are set to arrive in Manila today on board two commercial flights.
A bigger batch of OFWs from Sudan is also expected to return home via a chartered Philippine Airlines flight soon.
“We are committed to bring as many of our kababayans home,” said DMW Secretary Susan Ople in an earlier statement.
