Iraq is offering Filipinos thousands of job opportunities, but those could only be taken if the Philippine government lifts its deployment ban on overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
Efforts from the Iraqi government to persuade the Philippine government to resume the deployment have been around since last year, but that request has yet to be accommodated.
The problem that hinders the Philippines from doing so? It’s the security situation in the area.
In January 2020, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) imposed an Alert Level 4–or mandatory repatriation and deployment ban of Filipinos—in Iraq amid geopolitical tension in the area, which stemmed from the assassination of Iran’s elite Quds military force Qassem Soleimani.
It was then downgraded to Alert Level 3 in 2021 due to improving security in the area. Despite this, it did not prompt the Philippine government to finally send new OFWs.
But the Charge d’Affaires of the Iraqi Embassy in Manila, Khalid Ibrahim Moahmmed Alhamam, assured the Philippine government of the safety of people—locals and foreigners—in Iraq.
“It’s totally safe there. People can go around and drink even until midnight,” Khalid told Manila Bulletin.
Khalid hosted on Thursday night, Aug. 29, a dinner at the Iraqi Chancery in Makati in an attempt to discuss with the Philippine government the current situation in Iraq, which could be a deciding factor for the lifting of the deployment ban.
A higher official of the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Iraq also held a brief call with Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) Administrator Bernardo Olalia to extend Baghdad’s request.
Prior to this, there was also an invitation from Iraq to the Philippine government to send a delegation from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) to see for themselves the current situation in the country and assess its security condition.
In March 2024, Senator Robin Padilla, chairman of the Senate Committee on Cultural Communities and Muslim Affairs, also sponsored a resolution urging the Senate to look into the request of Iraq as one of the ways to strengthen Manila’s ties with the Middle Eastern country.
Those proved Iraq's stern request for the Philippine government to lift the deployment ban.
"[A] 19-member delegation from Iraq appealed for the reconsideration and lifting of the deployment ban on Filipino workers, expressing their hope to hire more Filipino workers in their country, especially healthcare professionals in connection with Iraq's ongoing efforts to improve its health care system," Padilla's resolution stated.
Aside from health care, Iraq also needs Filipino workers in oil and construction industries, according to Olalia.
There is also an ongoing expansion of other investments in Iraq that needs more Filipino workers, added Khalid.
"If there's no restriction, as many qualified Filipino and compliant employers will benefit," Olalia told Manila Bulletin.
Sought for comment on why the Philippines has not yet granted Iraq's request, DFA Undersecretary Eduardo Jose de Vega said the Philippine Embassy in Baghdad "has not recommended it, and they are the ones on the ground."
"The Middle East area is unstable right now. Even Iraq is divided into zones which are safer than others," de Vega told Manila Bulletin.
Why DFA's comment is important is that it's actually the agency that is conducting security and risk assessment in any country and making approval, according to Olalia.
De Vega said the Philippine government will "eventually" send a delegation.
"But our priorities now are to monitor safety and security of Filipinos in neighboring places like Lebanon and Israel," he said.
"The situation with Kuwait and now the amnesty program in UAE. This is preoccupying our attention now. With due respect to Iraq, neither DFA or DMW can afford to suddenly send a team to Iraq right now when there are actually hundreds of thousands of OFWs in other places needing our attention," he added.
Asked if the Philippine government might soon grant Iraq's request, Olalia said: "It's too early to tell. Hindi natin masasabi (We cannot say yet)."
Meanwhile, de Vega said "if a team goes, certainly they can make a recommendation which would be quickly acted upon."
Olalia said that the Philippine government's current goal is "to provide a mechanism for protection of our workers."
"And the security of each worker is the paramount concern of the Department of Migrant Workers," he added.