Philippines rejects Libya's appeal against worker travel ban
Philippines rejects Libya's appeal against worker travel ban
The government of the Philippines has upheld a ban on workers travelling to Libya amid continued concerns about worker safety in the North African country.
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Thousands of Filipino workers were evacuated from Libya in 2014 amid security concerns [AFP]
Libyas appeal against a ban on Filipino workers travelling to the North African country has been rejected by the government of the Philippines.
Manila upheld the ban, citing concerns about the safety of Filipino workers and issues about money remittances.
"Our nationals working in Libya face two natural difficulties: their safety and security, and their ability to send their earnings back to the Philippines," the Philippines foreign affairs department explained in a statement over the weekend.
The Philippines ban on workers travelling to Libya has primarily affected Libyas health system, which was heavily reliant on doctors, nurses and other staffers from the southeast Asian country.
Following years of unrest in Libya, many Filipino workers left the country in 2014. Those who remained have voiced concerns about security and had problems sending money back one to the Philippines.
High currency exchange rates on the black market have also exacerbated this problem for Filipino expatriate workers.
In November, Libyan authorities appealed to the Philippines to lift the ban, claiming that the countrys security situation had improved.
