Flag of Libya (Unsplash)

House Committee on Overseas Workers Affairs Chairman Kabayan Party-list Rep. Ron Salo is hopeful that the number of migrant Filipino workers in Libya will grow in the near future. 

Salo recently led a congressional delegation to Libya wherein they successfully advanced the interests of overseas Filipino workers (OFW) in the African country. 

“There’s a palpable sense of hope that we can restore and even increase the Filipino work force in Libya to its former strength of 30,000 to 40,000,” said the veteran lawmaker. 

He emphasized the safety and security improvements in the region, which contribute to a more stable working environment for the OFWs. 

“Libya is proving to be a land of opportunity for our kababayans, far safer and promising than often portrayed in the media,” Salo remarked. 

Authorized by House Speaker Martin Romualdez, the Libya trip ran from April 22 to 26. It marked the first diplomatic visit from the Philippines to Libya in over two decades. 

“Through our discussions, we’ve taken significant steps in addressing the issues of unpaid wages faced by our Filipino nurses, the discrepancies in compensation compared to other nationalities and employee-covered fees,” Salo said. 

The delegation also highlighted the strong preference for Filipino workers in critical sectors such as healthcare, oil and gas, education, and food manufacturing, owing to our kababayans’ skills, work ethic, positive integration into Libyan society, and for standing up with the Libyan people even during their most challenging period in history. 

“Filipino professionals, especially nurses and teachers, are highly valued here, not just for their expertise but also for their dedication and ability to uplift the communities they serve,” Salo noted. 

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He said productive discussions were held with key Libyan government officials, including Labor Attaché Ziad Amer Al-Said bin Ghadeer, Minister for Labor and Rehabilitation Ali Al-Abed, Deputy Minister for Health Samir Abdullah, officials from the Ministry of Oil & Gas, and President of the Department of Support and Development of Medical Services Dr. Ahmed Salem Ahmed to further employment opportunities and enhance the working conditions for OFWs. 

Furthermore, His Excellency Alan Roi Gabriola, Philippine Chargé d’Affaires in Tripoli, Libya, recommended that the Philippines develop a policy for selective deployment targeting the aforementioned vital sectors, to expand employment opportunities for Filipinos who wish to work there. 

Moving forward, Salo said the delegation will continue to collaborate with Chargé d’Affaires Mohamed Melad from the Libyan Embassy in Manila to ensure the implementation of the key points discussed during the mission.