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Department of Labor and Employment

4 March 2014
Baldoz advises 172 OFWs in Ukraine to stay put
Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz said yesterday that in as
much as the Department of Foreign Affairs has not recommended voluntary or
mandatory repatriation of overseas Filipinos in troubled Ukraine, her advice to OFWs in
that country is to stay calm and stay home, and not make any unnecessary visit or
detours to public places where marches or protests are being held.
Baldoz issued the advice after the Eastern European country that borders Russia on the
east and northeast was rocked by civil disturbance in recent weeks that led to a new
government.
The DFA has strongly advised all Filipinos in Ukraine to communicate with the Philippine
Embassy in Moscow (the country has no embassy in Kiev, Ukraine's capital, but has an
honorary consul there) and inform the Embassy of their whereabouts and their current
condition. It encouraged Filipinos in Ukraine to contact their families in the Philippines
and apprise them of their situation. It also that Filipinos wanting to return to the
Philippines should contact the Philippine Embassy.
Baldoz said POEA data show that only 115 OFWs were deployed to Ukraine in 2013
and 57 in 2012, or a total of 175. Most of the OFWs deployed were administrative and
managerial workers (41) while 30 are service workers.
Baldoz said the DOLE is in close contact with the DFA in monitoring the sitaution in
Ukraine.
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