The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) on Tuesday said newly-hired Filipino healthcare workers (HCWs) with perfected and signed contracts as of August 31 are allowed to leave the country.

In Advisory No. 47-B, series of 2020, it said all HCWs whose contracts were crafted and signed as of this new date and have secured an overseas employment certificate (OECs) as their exit permits can now report to their work overseas.

The healthcare workers refer to newly employed HCWs who are direct hires, recruitment agency hires, including POEA Government Placement Branch hires who were already accepted under the hiring program of host countries.

Likewise allowed to report to their employers abroad are “balik-manggagawa” or returning health workers with OEC exemption certificates.

Seafarers who were previously hired as doctors and nurses, and would be deployed by the same licensed manning agency can also leave the country.

The POEA added that the deployment of HCWs will be conducted under strict observance of quarantine protocols and physical distancing measures, including in the departure and immigration formalities in the Philippines, in transit countries, and in their destination countries.

Last month, the cut-off date was extended from March 8 to August 31 upon the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF- EID).

Meanwhile, the agency reiterated that outbound passengers with visas that are not documented through POEA regulations are excluded from the temporary deployment suspension.

These are holders of US J1 visa, permanent residents, immigrants or dual citizens of other countries.

It added that the deployment ban of HCWs to countries that impose travel restrictions remains in effect. (PNA)