Christmas is fast approaching – and while everyone is getting ready to go shopping for gifts and planning family reunions, a lot of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are raring to go back home to the Philippines to spend time with their families.
Sadly, many OFWs are unable to go home for the holidays. A lot can’t do it because they still have months to fulfill in their work contracts and vacation leaves are only allowed every two years. But there are also those who fear that they might not be able to come back due to work bans imposed by the Philippine government.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro “Teddy” Locsin Jr. announced on Wednesday that Pinoys working in Libya could come home this Christmas, then go back to their jobs after the break.
According to Locsin, he received a lot of requests from OFWs in Libya to give them permission for the holiday break, then go back to Libya afterwards.
“I promised them that even if you are regarded as fool-hearted… [for] insisting on going back [to Libya] because you need to work and you need to take care of your family, if you are in trouble, we will get you back,” Locsin explained.
He added that it is up to the OFWs to decide whether they want to go back to Libya to work.
“I promised them that even if you are regarded as fool-hearted… [for] insisting on going back [to Libya] because you need to work and you need to take care of your family, if you are in trouble, we will get you back,” he said.
“Isn’t it better that they go back in danger, they return to danger with the fond memory of their families in Christmas?”
A lot of OFWs welcomed the move; though they also feel a bit worried for the Pinoy workers in Libya, considering that the country is torn by war.
