Qatar Airways fires about 200 Philippine workers

Qatar Airways on Monday handed a letter of resignation to about 200 Filipinos who worked for the company.

  According to David Desang, Philippine Labor Attaché in Qatar, the dismissal of workers takes effect on Tuesday, March 17, 2020.

 Most of those who were fired were employed in the technical department, in positions such as engineers, maintenance personnel, and other related jobs.

 The dismissal was sudden for the workers.  The reason indicated in the termination letter was staff redundancy.

  Some of those who were fired turned to the Philippine Overseas Employment Bureau for help.

  Desang told that the Philippines Embassy in Doha and Polo are coordinating with the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labor and Social Affairs of Qatar, especially for those employees who have bank loans.

  According to a report by the Ministry of Health, as of March 16, 2020, the total number of people infected in the country reached 439, the State News Agency of Qatar reports.

  Qatar has the highest number of cases of COVID-19 among the Gulf Cooperation Council.

  As a precaution, Qatar canceled classes in all educational institutions until further notice and forbade visitors from 14 countries where cases of coronavirus were detected.

All incoming flights to Doha will be discontinued from Wednesday, March 18, for 14 days, which will be considered, with the exception of air cargo and transit flights, in addition to receiving any Qatar citizens arriving from any destination in the world with 14-day quarantine.