Phl welcomes Libya’s assurance on Pinoy workers

Libyan authorities have assured the Philippines that the salary and other concerns of hundreds of Filipino nurses and other hospital workers in Libya are being addressed, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.

The Philippines welcomed Libya assurance that salary, other concerns of Filipino nurses and other hospital workers are being addressed.

In a statement issued ahead of the visit to Manila of Libyan Health Minister Ahmed Mohamed Omar on Aug. 19 to 20, the DFA was hopeful that problems encountered by Filipinos working in most government hospitals and in some private clinics across Libya would soon be resolved.

The government concerns include not only delays in the remittance of salaries and benefits but in some cases even nonpayment of salaries of the more than 1,000 Filipino nurses and hospital workers.

Omar said a comprehensive review of existing policies in the payment and remittance of salaries and benefits of expatriate health workers is now ongoing and a focal person has been designated to work closely with the embassy in resolving monetary claims of Filipino hospital workers.

The Libyan Health Minister also said representations have been made with the Central Bank of Libya to allow Filipino and other expatriate nurses and hospital workers to remit as much as 70 percent of their salaries.

He said the Libyan government is also planning to adjust the salaries of foreign hospital workers to ensure that they will continue to get the original dollar equivalent indicated in their employment contracts.