DFA spokesperson: Only 3 Pinoys in Iraq seek repatriation

Only three out of over 900 Filipinos have volunteered to leave Iraq and return to the Philippines despite the government order for mandatory repatriation in the strife-torn country.

In an interview on “News to Go” on Monday, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) spokesman Charles Jose said that about 152 Filipinos are based in Baghdad while 800 are based in Kurdistan region.

DFA has raised Alert Level 4 in Iraq last June 19 over its rapidly deteriorating security situation and urged Filipinos there to register for repatriation at the Philippine Embassy in Baghdad. Kurdistan region, meanwhile, is under Alert Level 2 or Restriction Phase.

Despite the long-standing deployment ban to Iraq, Jose said several Filipinos were able to work there following the United States' military occupation after toppling Saddam Hussein's government in 2003 as direct hires of American companies.

“Nag-hire ang US ng mga Filipino workers for construction project. Direct [hiring] po ito. Mayroon ring mga defense contractors na nag-hire ng mga Pilipino,” he said.

These Filipino workers more likely found work in other companies after US troops pulled out from Iraq in 2011, Jose added.

The Philippine Overseas Employment Agency (POEA) has issued a resolution reiterating the total deployment ban in light of the heightened crisis alert level raised by the DFA in Iraq.

Based on POEA’s deployment records, the total deployment of new hires to both Iraq and Kurdistan decreased by as much as 73 percent, from 11 in 2012 to only three in 2013.

The deployment of rehires, however, have increased by 57 percent from 2012 to 2013. —Xianne Arcangel/KBK, GMA News

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