Migration expert Manny Geslani has called on the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to address the plight of undocumented overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Lebanon and other conflict-affected areas in the Middle East. Many of these workers have had their passports confiscated by their employers.
Geslani pointed out in a PhilStar report that while the government has repatriated hundreds of documented OFWs, none of the undocumented workers have been included in the efforts.
In response, the Philippine Embassy in Beirut reported that it has been in talks with Lebanon’s Ministry of Labor. Philippine Ambassador Raymond Balatbat discussed the cases of OFWs unable to leave the country due to their employers’ restrictions. Labor Minister Moustafa Bayram expressed his support for the repatriation of these workers, mainly female domestic workers, and vowed to coordinate their release with General Security.
The embassy is also working with Lebanese authorities to speed up the issuance of exit clearances for undocumented workers to board an upcoming chartered flight. Filipinos in Lebanon are advised to prepare their passports and iqamas and are encouraged to participate in the voluntary repatriation program.
