Overseas Absentee Voting has officially started last April 13, 2013. Filipino registered voters abroad can now go to Philippine embassies to vote for senators and partylist. However, voting in Riyadh will start by April 15-16 due to some delays.

According to Commission on Elections (COMELEC) there are an estimated 915,000 registered Filipino workers abroad. Middle East has the highest number of voters with 281,372 followed by Asia Pacific with 228,309. There are about 125,604 voters in America while Europe has 75,666.

The COMELEC clarified that not all areas will conduct automated election due to the limited Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines. The government agency said that only Hong Kong , Singapore, Kuwait, Riyadh and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi and Dubai in UAE will use PCOS machines due to the number of voters in these areas.

The government unit wishes Filipinos abroad to exercise their rights and vote wisely.

Looking for a job opportunity abroad? Then visit workAbroad.ph and LRPESO-Marikina’s Mega Job Fair 2013 at the Marikina Sports Park, Marikina City on April 12, 2013 at 8:00 am to 6:00 pm.

15 POEA licensed agencies and 15 direct hire local companies will be there to offer thousands of job offers.

To avoid lining up for registration at the venue, fill up the online form here: http://www.workabroad.ph/jobfair/marikina/.

Filipino medical workers remain in demand abroad especially in the Middle East.

ABBA Personnel Services, Inc. a POEA-licensed agency is now hiring medical workers for government-owned hospitals in Jeddah, KSA.

Job Openings at King Abdullaziz Medical City are:

Anesthesia Technician I

Administrative Assistant

Audio Visual Assistants

Catheterization Laboratory Technician

EENT Technician

Job Openings at Riyadh Military Hospital are:

50 Dental Surgery Assistants

20 Dental Technicians

Dialysis Technicians

Click Here to View Other Information and to Know How to Apply

Visit www.nursingguide.ph for news and employment jobs for nurses.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) recently announced that President Noynoy Aquino approved its appeal to lower the alert level inLibya from 4 to 2. Alert level 4 means that evacuation or mandatory repatriation is necessary while phase 2 is the restriction phase.

The lower alert level would allow the redeployment of returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) toLibya. Filipino workers who chose to remain inLibyadespite the hostilities would also be allowed to renew employment contracts. The lifting of the deployment ban inLibyadoes not cover newly-hired OFWs

DFA Secretary Albert del Rosario said, “This lowering of the alert level means the redeployment of returning overseas Filipino workers Filipino workers (OFWs) to Libya, as well as allowing Filipinos who chose to stay behind to return to the country and allow them to return to Libya.”

The process of redeploying OFWs toLibyawould be gradual though. The DFA recommended to the POEA that the redeployment with the workers in the medical and oil field. Redeployment would only be allowed upon presentation of existing employment, working visas and return to work letter from employer.

I subscribed at WorkAbroad.ph on March 28, 2012 and immediately got shortlisted to several positions. I also received several phone calls for an interview.  I was first scheduled for interview by one agency in Manila (Sunway International) on May 8, 2012 for a managerial position for a hotel in Bahrain. However, I received a call on the third week of April 2012 for a job offer from EastWest Placement Center, Inc. and the interview is only in Cebu.

In this instance, I was surprised since I did not apply for this position. Though I did not apply directly with EastWest, I did not hesitate to come for the examination and interview with the Arab employer. It was a success! They offered me a job as Administrator with a promise of a quarterly increase and promotion to become an Admin Manager soon. After complying with all the requirements, I received my Visa on July 26, 2012 and left the country on July 30, 2012.

Thank you to WorkAbroad.ph for a wonderful experience with you.

-Diego Suycano

Diego was hired as Administrator bound for United Arab Emirates.