Advisory No. 2012- 014

28 January 2012    -  The Alert Level for Yemen has been lowered from Alert Level 4 for Sana’a and Alert Level 3 for the rest of Yemen to Alert Level 2 for all of Yemen.  President Benigno S. Aquino III, upon the recommendation of the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, based on the inputs of the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh, has given approval to lower the Alert Level to Alert Level 2 for all of Yemen.

The lowering of the Alert Level is based on the improving political and security situation in the country after the President Ali Abdullah Saleh signed the power transfer agreement brokered by the Gulf Cooperation Council and the establishment of the national unity government based on the said agreement.

 Under Alert Level 2, returning OFWs, with an existing employment contract, will be allowed to go back to Yemen.

 The Philippine Embassy in Riyadh would like to stress however that under Alert Level 2, non-essential travels should be restricted.

 The Embassy continues to deploy a team in Sana’a who may be contacted through mobile number +967 736 645 017. The Philippine Embassy in Riyadh may be contacted by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  

 UPDATE:

FROM THE DFA:

www.dfa.gov.ph

30 January 2012 -The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said today that President Benigno S. Aquino III approved its recommendation to lower the alert level in Yemen from alert level 4 (mandatory repatriation) in Sana'a and Alert Level 3 (voluntary repatriation) in the rest of Yemen to alert level 2 (restriction phase) for the entire country to reflect the current situation there.

The DFA promptly informed the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) Governing Board of this development immediately after it was informed of the President's approval of the recommendation.

"We anticipate that with the lowering of the alert level, the redeployment of returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to Yemen will now be allowed. We also anticipate that  Yemen-based OFWs, who wish to return to the Philippines for a vacation, will be allowed to return to Yemen,"  Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. del Rosario said.

The lowering of the alert level will not cover the deployment to Yemen of newly-hired OFWs.

The DFA expects that the POEA Governing Board will issue a new resolution that will allow the deployment of returning OFWs to Yemen.

The DFA raised alert level 3 on the whole of Yemen on May 24 and alert level 4 in Sana'a on June 6, and asked Filipinos who wish to avail of the Embassy's repatriation facility to leave the country due to the politico-security situation there.  END