MANILA -- The deployment of Filipino workers to Israel is much underway following the lifting of the government’s suspension of its deployment in May, the labor department reported on Thursday.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello said the government is now set to send more workers amid the improved peace and order situation there.

Bello said Israel is very much in need of care workers, and other service workers as the country has slowly reopened its borders. The hiring of Filipino workers is in line with the bilateral agreement signed by the Philippines and Israel in 2018.

At present, a total of 208 caregiver contracts have been forwarded to the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) for signing and processing of documents, Bello said.

Further, 23 work visas have been already filed with the Israeli embassy in Taguig while 90 more visa applications are ready for filing this week, he added.

“Once the visas have been secured, POEA through its government placement branch will proceed with the processing of their overseas employment certificates and other travel documents,” Bello said.

In early May this year, Israel and the militant Palestinians engaged in fierce battle marked by deadly bombings that endangered overseas Filipino workers. This prompted DOLE to suspend the deployment in Israel.   

On May 21 this year however, the two warring parties reached a ceasefire. Low level incidents between the two warring parties were recorded since then, prompting the government to lift the deployment ban.

With the resumption of deployment to Israel, Bello said the government expects to fully realize the benefits of its agreement with Israel that provides for the employment of 1,000 Filipino care workers.

The deal was signed by President Rodrigo Duterte and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu three years ago. (DOLE)