MANILA, Philippines — The guaranteed safety of the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) working in China and its special administrative regions (SARs) may push President Rodrigo Duterte to lift the travel ban and allow them to return to their jobs there, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said Wednesday.

“The President will decide pag nakita na niya na stable na, pag safe na at pwede nang i-lift yung ban of Filipino workers who want to go back and work in Hong Kong or China,” Nograles said in an interview in Malacañang.

ADVERTISEMENT

(The President will decide once he sees that it’s stable and safe to lift the ban that refrains Filipino workers who want to go back and work in Hong Kong or China.)

“Ang bottomline is ma-secure natin ang safety nila and their health, and it makes the President more comfortable na he’s sending our Filipino workers abroad under those guarantees, then I think he’d be more comfortable to lift it (travel ban) by that time,” he added.

Daily assessments will be done to determine whether or not the situation in China and its SARs have started to normalize and safe enough for the OFWs.

“We will assess it day by day and see if the situation is worsening,” Nograles said.

“Kung may employment sila (If they have employment there), of course we realize the need for them to start work immediately. We realize the concern about their jobs there. But we have to balance that with public health, public safety and the safety of the Filipino workers.”

Nograles assured that the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) may provide assistance to those who cannot return to China due to the travel ban.

“DOLE is already prepared to give the assistance. May cash, may livelihood assistance din na pwedeng ibigay sa kanila and in fact, even redeployment elsewhere is also part of the package,” he said.

(DOLE is already prepared to extend assistance. There is cash, livelihood assistance and even redeployment elsewhere under the package.)

Duterte ordered the travel ban to China, Hong Kong and Macau following the death of a Chinese national due to severe pneumonia and the 2019 novel-coronavirus (2019-nCoV).

ADVERTISEMENT

READ: Duterte orders travel ban, as PH records 1st virus death

The Bureau of immigration (BI) said the travel ban also covers the OFWs based in China and its SARs since there was no distinction between visa types in the President’s directives.