Despite the meeting between Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Sec. Susan Ople and her counterpart in Saudi Arabia, there is still no sign on whether or not the deployment ban for overseas Filipino workers(OFWs) will be lifted.

In a report from the Arab News, there is no indication of ending the deployment ban that was implemented by the Philippine government in 2016.

The report says Migrant Workers Susan Ople met with Saudi Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, Ahmad Al-Rajhi, and discussed developing bilateral relations between the two countries, working conditions for overseas Filipino workers, and creating awareness around common issues.

“We had a very pleasant conversation. We are creating new pathways to further strengthen the long, historic friendship between the Philippines and Saudi Arabia,” Ople told Arab News.

Al-Rajhi, however, promised Ople to look into the cases of OFWs who suffered abuse and maltreatment at the hands of abusive Saudi employers.

On the other hand, Ople expressed her respect for the Saudization policy that aims to create and prioritize Saudi nationals for job opportunities.

“We also have our own employment strategies in the Philippines, so Saudization and making sure that your own nationals are gainfully employed is something we respect,” Ople uttered.

She said, “It’s very important that we keep talking with our counterparts in the Saudi government because it’s only in having these bilateral conversations that we can guide our people accordingly.”

The report says that aside from domestic abuse, issues concerning OFWs, is the cultural adaptation, proper education about their rights, and access to the justice system.

The Arab News disclosed that Secretary Ople will join officials once again in December for a joint committee meeting in Riyadh to have another round of formal talks.