Philippines lowers alert level for Yemen

MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / Jan. 30, 2012) – The Philippines has lowered the alert level in Yemen as the political situation improves in the strife-torn Middle East country.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said President Benigno Aquino III approved its recommendation – from Alert Level 4 (mandatory repatriation) in Sana’a and Alert Level 3 (voluntary repatriation) in the rest of Yemen to Alert Level 2 (restriction phase) for the entire country to reflect the current situation there.  

The DFA said it also told the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) Governing Board of this development immediately after it was informed of Aquino’s approval of the recommendation.  

“We anticipate that with the lowering of the alert level, the redeployment of returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to Yemenwill now be allowed. We also anticipate that Yemen-based OFWs, who wish to return to the Philippinesfor a vacation, will be allowed to return to Yemen,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario said in a statement sent to the Mindanao Examiner.

Del Rosario said the lowering of the alert level will not cover the deployment to Yemenof newly-hired OFWs.

The DFA said it expects the POEA Governing Board will issue a new resolution that will allow the deployment of returning OFWs to Yemen.  

The DFA raised Alert Level 3 on the whole of Yemen on May 24 last year and Alert Level 4 in Sana’a on June 6, and asked Filipinos who wish to avail of the Embassy’s repatriation facility to leave the country due to the politico-security situation there.