OFWs in Lebanon are safe! - consul-general

A diplomat from Lebanon has assured that 25,000 or more overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Lebanon are relatively safe and not subject to any danger despite the tense political situation in the country due to a power vacuum.

Consul-General Joseph Assad, Honorary Consult of Lebanon to the Philippines gave this assessment when queried on his views regarding the safety of Filipinos now in Lebanon.

Assad said that it was very safe in Beirut and other parts of the area where most Filipino domestic helpers are serving a large number of Christian families and foreign workers.

The political vacuum left by former President Emile Lahoud last November 22 found the country without a president and Prime Minister Fouad Siniora had put the army into the streets of Beirut to preserve order and peace during the lull this week.

On November 30 the numerous political factions in Lebanon with a slim majority of Christians and the oppositionist Hizbollah will try to select a president that will complete the democratic set-up in that country.

Meanwhile, Abdul Kader Al Jadid, president of the Philippine-Lebanese Friendship Community, is optimistic that the political factions in his country would come to a common understanding to preserve the peace and continue the development pledged by the International community after the Israel-Lebanon conflict in 2006.

Filipino domestic helpers are very much welcome in Lebanon and some of our families are ready to accept the new wage policies of $ 400 in view of the very good service given by OFWs to their employers.

However, Al Jadid admitted that other countries have taken over the market of Filipino domestic helpers where families could not afford the $ 400 salary mandated by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA).

He added some Lebanese have turned to Sri Lankans, Indonesians and Bangladeshi nationals who are willing to accept $ 125-150 salary.

Since the new POEA policy on Household Service Workers took effect last March 16, 2007 very few Filipinos have found their way to Lebanon as documented workers under the $ 400 salary.

The government has been very selective in approving requests for HSW despite the new salary and imposed a ban at present for deployment to Lebanon.

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