POEA imposes deployment ban to Ukraine

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) has imposed a total deployment ban for Filipinos planning to work in Ukraine.

This ban includes "direct hires" and comes after the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) raised Alert Level 4 in Ukraine on March 7 due to the escalating conflict with Russia.

Raising the alert level signifies mandatory repatriation for Filipinos in Ukraine.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III clarified that exceptions may be made for individuals already in another country who then proceed to Ukraine, over whom the Philippines has no jurisdiction.

The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) confirmed that the forced repatriation of Filipinos from Ukraine is ongoing.

Prior to the ban, the Philippine government had facilitated the evacuation of 169 Filipinos from Ukraine since late February.

Before the conflict, Ukraine was home to nearly 400 Filipinos.