Labor chief reminds Hong Kong employers not to take OFWs to protest areas


By Leslie Ann Aquino

Employers of overseas Filipino workers in Hong Kong were reminded by the labor department not to bring them to areas where protest actions are being held.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III (ROBINSON NIÑAL JR./Presidential Photo / MANILA BULLETIN) Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III
(ROBINSON NIÑAL JR./ PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)

"To the employers, let us not involve the OFWs," Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said in an interview.

"We remind the employers that they are not allowed to bring their workers in case they will join the rally," he added.

The labor chief also reiterated their advice to OFWs to stay at home and avoid public places for their own protection.

"Stay at home for the meantime and avoid public places. You can never tell," Bello said.

After office hours, he said OFWs should go home directly and not loiter around anymore.

However, Bello said they have not seen any serious incidents that warrant a deployment ban.

"If it can be established by our DFA that the protest actions are going out of control and that the local police could no longer control the activities, that is when we will prevent our workers from going there in order to prevent putting them in a compromising situation," said Bello.

"But now there is none," he added.