The Philippines has partially lifted the ban on overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) going to Qatar, a day after it was imposed. The ban was temporarily introduced after several Arab countries broke off diplomatic ties with the Gulf state...OFWs on contracts, wishing to return to Qatar or new workers with an overseas employment certificate can travel. The department of labour and employment said OFWs whose papers are still being processed remained banned...Labour Secretary, Silvestre Bello said the processing of new applications would remain temporarily suspended while the government assessed the situation. More than two million documented Filipinos work in the Middle East, with about 140,000 based in Qatar. The government previously said it was concerned about the "ripple effect" of the crisis on its overseas foreign workers.