The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) announced that the labor officials in the country decided to partially lift the deployment ban of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) reported that the governing board of the POEA issued a resolution about the partial lifting after the meeting that was held on September 2.

The DOLE chief, Rosalinda Baldoz said in the article that was posted in the official website of the government agency, “The Board has already directed the POEA to issue an advisory for the information and guidance of all concerned on the matter."

The board members that approved the resolution were the following: Leonardo de Ocampo, Guillermina Gabor, POEA Administrator Carlos Cao Jr., and Baldoz.

Baldoz is also the head of the POEA Governing Board. According to her the partial lifting is contained in Resolution No. 5, Series of 2011 and was issued upon the recommendation of the Department of Foreign Affairs.

The resolution states that OFWs in Iraq and Afghanistan with existing work contracts will be allowed to finish their work contracta. It includes Filipinos working inside the American military camps and facilities in the said countries.

The press release of DOLE said that these contracts can also be extended or renewed onsite and that OFWs that would go home to the Philippines before its expiration will also be allowed to be redeployed to finish their contracts."