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Deployment of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) during the Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ)

ADVISORY No. 60 Series of 2020

Deployment of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) during the Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) Pursuant to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) Resolution No. 36 Series of 2020, and subject to compliance with pertinent provisions of the IATF Guidelines on the Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) that amends the IATF Omnibus Guidelines on Community Quarantine, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) hereby advises the public that:

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Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) whether land-based or sea-based shall be allowed to be deployed abroad upon the execution of a Declaration signifying their knowledge and understanding of the risks involved as advised by the Philippine Government. For this purpose, recruitment and placement agencies shall be likewise allowed to operate in areas under the General and Modified Enhance Community Quarantine subject to the observance of minimum health standards. Further, government offices involved in the processing of their deployment are hereby directed to establish “Green Lanes” to enable their prompt processing and deployment. Further still, to facilitate the ease of deployment, the OFWs and employees of these recruitment and placement agencies shall be allowed unhampered transit to and from appropriate government offices for the processing of their requirements and facilities such as airports, ferries, bus terminals, etc., notwithstanding any Local Government Unit pronouncement to the contrary. The said free access shall extend to the vehicles carrying the aforementioned individuals in order for them to reach their final destination. No fee or any other requirement shall be imposed by LGUs in this regard;

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Copies of the Declaration forms that shall be accomplished by the departing workers are attached hereto as: Adv60 Form 1 - COVID Declaration Newly-Hired Worker; Adv60 Form 2 - COVID Declaration Returning Worker/ BM; and Adv60 Form 3 - COVID Declaration GPB-Hired Worker. 2

The POEA further advises the public that the provisions of IATF Resolution cited above does not amend the previous IATF Resolution No. 23 Series of 2020. As such, IATF Resolution No. 23 remains in effect. The same is clarified in POEA Advisory No. 47 Series of 2020, to wit:

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However, pursuant to Inter-Agency Task Force-IED Resolution No. 23, Series of 2020 approved on 13 April 2020, “all medical and allied healthcare professionals with perfected and signed overseas employment contracts as of 08 March 2020 shall be allowed for deployment abroad upon the execution of the Declaration signifying their knowledge and understanding of the risks involved as advised by the Philippine government”. As such, the following categories of health care workers shall be allowed to proceed to their overseas employment: 1. Balik Manggagawa/ returning health care workers with OEC Exemption certificates; 2. New hire health care workers hired through private recruitment agencies (PRAs) with issued overseas employment certificates (OECs) on or before March 8, 2020; 3. New hire health care workers under government-to-government hiring programs who signed contracts on or prior to March 8, 2020 and with issued OECs; New hire health care workers through private recruitment agencies whose request for processing (RFP) documents were submitted to POEA on or before March 8, 2020 may be issued with OECs that would serve as their exit permit subject to applicable conditions set forth in POEA Memorandum Circular No. 7, Series of 2020 and GBR No. 9 Series of 2020 particularly those in compliance with the quarantine protocols, social distancing measures, as well as departure and immigration procedures currently in place. xxx Previous IATF directives and POEA Governing Board Resolutions restricting the deployment of landbased or seabased overseas Filipino workers to countries with travel restrictions remain in effect until further amended. Existing POEA Rules and Regulations on the documentation of OFWs, processing of employment contracts, accreditation of foreign principals and the issuance of overseas employment certificates (OECs) remain enforced. 3 For the safety of the transacting public, this Advisory shall be applied consistent with the minimum health and safety standards, social distancing measures and appointment systems instituted by the POEA. For the information and guidance of all concerned.


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