MANILA, March 6 (Xinhuanet) -- Philippine and Malaysia officials will meet here Monday to draw up guidelines on the re-entry and rehiring of deported Filipinos from Sabah, eastern Malaysia, Foreign Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Jose Brillantes said Sunday.

    He said that the meeting will be restricted to consular mattersand other issues related to the deportation of Filipinos as a result of the Malaysian crackdown on illegal workers last week.

    "The meeting will address mechanics of the repatriation, whichis ongoing. This (meeting) is entirely for the safe and orderly return and no political agenda," Brillantes said.

    He said that the continued arrest of undocumented workers, who worked for low-paid jobs in Malaysia, could severely hit the neighboring country's construction and plantation sectors.

    "That's why we are discussing a new policy that will enable thousands of Filipino deportees to go back and avail of re-employment there," he said.

    Malaysia began implementing its get-tough directive against illegal migrants on March 1 after the Feb. 28 amnesty deadline expired.

    The Philippine government estimates that 200,000 undocumented Filipinos are remaining in Malaysia, while some 10,000 went home before the amnesty expired. Enditem