POEA suspends deployment on new hires for Iraq's Kurdistan region

Citing the security situation there, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration's Governing Board has suspended the processing and deployment of newly hired workers headed for Iraq's Kurdistan region.

This was after the board imposed a total ban on the deployment of overseas Filipino workers to most of Iraq, the POEA said in a statement Monday.

“The POEA Governing Board has decided to suspend, for the meantime, the deployment of overseas Filipino workers to the Iraqi Kurdistan Region because of the growing threats to the security situation in the said region,” Labor Secretary and POEA Governing Board chairperson Rosalinda Baldoz said.

Citing its records in 2013, the POEA said there are 75 OFWs working in the Kurdistan region.

Last June 23, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) raised the crisis alert level in Kurdistan to "2" (Restriction Phase).

Under this alert level, the DFA said Filipinos in Kurdistan "are instructed to restrict non-essential movements, avoid public places, and take extra precaution."

Other parts of Iraq are under Alert Level 4 (Mandatory Repatriation).

Baldoz said the POEA Governing Board issued Resolution No. 13 after the crisis alert level in Kurdistan was raised to "2."

“We are strictly monitoring the situation in Iraq and in the Kurdistan region and we are prepared and ready to respond to any eventualities,” she added. —Joel Locsin/KBK, GMA News

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