THE Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) stopped processing and deployment of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to Myanmar because of the “critical” healthcare situation due to an increasing number of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases there.

In a statement, POEA Administrator Bernard Olalia said the ban covers all OFWs, including crew changes and shore leaves of Filipino seafarers.

Olalia said they have also ordered the evacuation and mandatory repatriation of OFWs in Myanmar.

He said the POEA has already directed all recruitment agencies with deployed OFWs in Myanmar to coordinate with their respective partner employers to report the conditions of their deployed workers onsite, and repatriate them.

“The need for mandatory evacuation of OFWs in Myanmar was also stated in the notice to further safeguard the health and safety of the OFWs,” said Olalia.

He said the decision was made after the Philippine Embassy in Yangon and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) raised the alert status for Myanmar to Alert Level 4 because the healthcare system there “is close to reaching its maximum capacity and may not be able to provide adequate medical attention to Filipinos.”

Since early July, Myanmar has reported record-breaking numbers of Covid-19 cases and deaths.