Eurasia Press & News
A Philippine travel ban to Afghanistan has been lifted to allow its nationals to work for subcontractors employed by the United States and coalition forces as well as the United Nations, officials said Sunday. A travel ban will remain in force in Iraq, however, while the government also allowed fresh numbers of Filipinos to travel to Lebanon, as well as to oil companies in Nigeria’s delta region, according to the Filipino labor department.
Filipinos may now work in Kabul and other areas of Afghanistan for coalition forces, UN agencies, the Red Cross and similar aid agencies, Labor Secretary Arturo Brion said in a written order. Filipino domestics who had previously worked in Lebanon may now return to the Middle East country after the deadly fighting in July 2006, he said. The travel bans were imposed due to war or deteriorating security situations that have seen Filipinos abducted or, in the case of Iraq, killed in attacks against coalition convoys.
