AlHijjah 6, 1432, Nov 2, 2011, SPA -- The Philippines has banned the deployment of Filipino workers to 41 countries that do not guarantee the protection of migrant workers, dpa quoted labour officials as saying Wednesday. Labour Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said the ban was issued by the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency after a review of labour laws and standards in the countries included in the blacklist. The agency said the 41 countries did not comply with a 2009 law mandating the government to ensure that Filipino workers be deployed only to countries where their rights are protected. Countries are deemed compliant if they have labour laws that protect migrant workers' rights, they are signatories to international declarations or conventions on migrant workers' protection, or have a labour agreement with the Philippines. The blacklisted countries include Afghanistan, Cambodia, India, Iraq, Libya, East Timor, North Korea, Cayman Islands, US Virgin Islands and Lebanon. Administrator Carlos Cao Junior said the ban would take effect 15 days after the agency publishes the resolution in major newspapers. "Those with existing contracts in the affected countries will be allowed to finish their contracts," he said. "But new hires will no longer be allowed to work in the 41 countries." Cao said Filipinos employed by international companies with global operations are still allowed to work in any of the 41 countries provided no previous deployment ban was issued for security reasons. Baldoz said non-compliant countries could "initiate negotiation and conclude bilateral agreements" with the Philippines to be taken off the blacklist. She said only a few hundred workers would be affected by the ban since most Filipinos in the 41 countries are employed by international companies.
