Ople earlier said that many OFWs working in countries certified by the DFA as noncomplaint were worried about the deployment ban. The DFA certification for 41 noncompliant countries had served as the basis for the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration's (POEA) issuance of a deployment ban in those countries.

 

Ople has received several emails and Facebook messages from OFWs inquiring about the ban. She cited a casino worker in Cambodia, who was worried about the ban because he had already made plans with his wife to spend Christmas in the Philippines. Cambodia was among the countries included in the POEA deployment ban.

 

The former labor undersecretary urged the DFA, POEA, legislators and different stakeholders to use the deferment period to sit down and thresh out possible solutions to the rampant abuse and maltreatment of Filipino workers, particularly household service workers abroad. It also called for a review of earlier lists that contained countries with OFW-friendly policies. 

 

Likewise, Ople urged the DFA to direct its foreign posts to consult Filipino workers' groups in their countries of jurisdiction when revisiting these certifications.

 

“This gives us a temporary reprieve but does not really solve the problem regarding how this law should be implemented. We urge the DFA and the POEA to use this period to hold more consultations with various stakeholders as well as with legislators,” said Ople.