WHEREAS, Department Order No. 78-07 and POEA Advisory no. 01, both Series of 2007 were issued on 22 January 2007 and 23 January 2007, which temporarily suspended the contract processing and deployment of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) bound for Nigeria in the light of repeated incidents of kidnappings due to unrest obtaining in the country at the time;

WHEREAS, due to improved security conditions in the country and pending complete assessment from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Department Order No. 80-07, Series of 2007 was issued on 13 March 2007, which partially lifted the ban to allow the processing and deployment of returning Filipino workers to Nigeria who are on vacation and are going to work with the same employers in the same time;

WHEREAS, POEA Advisory No. 03, Series of 2008 was issued on 31 January 2008, which reimposed the total ban on the deployment of all workers to Nigeria and further clarified that the ban covers Filipino crew onboard ships entering the Nigerian ports;

WHEREAS, POEA Advisory No. 05, Series of 2008 was issued on 07 February 2008, which clarified the ban on the entry of Filipino seafarers to Nigeria shall cover only seafarers onboard vessels on liner service calling on Nigerian ports;

WHEREAS, pursuant to POEA Governing Board Resolution No. 08, Series of 2009 dated 12 August 2009, POEA issued Memorandum Circular No. 15, Series of 2009 on 13 September 2009 which provided for the partial lifting of the ban on the deployment of OFWs to Nigeria and allowed the processing and deployment of workers-on-leave/ balik-manggagawa bound for that country;

WHEREAS, POEA Advisory No. 01, Series of 2011 was issued dated 13 January 2011, which reiterated that the total ban on the deployment of OFWs in Nigeria is still in effect; and

WHEREAS, in its letter dated 02 march 2012, the DFA informed the DOLE Secretary of its recommendation to lift the ban on Nigeria, in view of the improved security situation in the country.

NOW, THEREFORE, the POEA Governing Board, in a meeting duly convened, RESOLVES AS IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED, to lift the deployment ban to Nigeria and resume the processing and deployment of OFWs to said country.

The POEA is hereby directed to immediately issue the guidelines to implement this Resolution.


Adopted: 22 March 2012

(SGD.) LEONARDO B. DE OCAMPO	(SGD.) GUILLERMINA T. GABOR
Member	Member