More distressed OFWs brought home this year

MANILA, Philippines — The number of distressed overseas Filipino workers sent home by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) in the first seven months of 2009 reached over 5,000, a 23-percent jump from the recorded number of repatriated Filipinos during the same period in 2008.

From 4,275 runaway OFWs in 2008, OWWA administrator Carmelita Dimzon said on Sunday the welfare agency facilitated the repatriation of 5,267 troubled migrant workers from January to July 2009.

According to Dimzon, this figure was a testament to the improved cooperation between the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and Philippine labor officials abroad with the “one country, one team” approach.

Under the arrangement, DFA and OWWA welfare officers could hasten the release of exit visas for runaway migrant workers by helping out in the negotiation with their employers.

“OWWA welfare officers (could) get OFWs on the plane home within 24 hours from the time they are cleared for exit by host governments,” Dimzon said in a statement.

In a separate phone interview, she said most of the troubled OFWs came from the Middle East, where 70 percent of the country’s so-called “bagong bayani” (new heroes) were deployed.

Dimzon likewise admitted that the number of OFWs in the Muslim region who escaped from their abusive employers usually increased during the holy week of Ramadan

“That’s why we always remind our OFWs about the culture in Muslim countries, which is very different from ours,” she said.

Records from the OWWA showed that physical and sexual abuse, as well as breach of contract regarding their salary, were among the major reasons why Filipino migrant workers escaped from their employers.

Dimzon cleared that OWWA could only shoulder the repatriation expenses of its members as mandated by law.

“It would be unfair to our members if we spend their money to finance the repatriation of those who did not pay the $25 OWWA membership fee. Anyway, the employers pay for the fee and not the workers,” she argued.

“Under the law, it’s the DFA which should finance the repatriation of non-OWWA members.”

Dimzon also stressed that the welfare agency’s funds for emergency repatriation were intact in government-owned banks and that OWWA could only use the money to finance mass repatriation of OFWs during calamities and man-made disasters like war. –Marlon Ramos, Philippine Daily Inquirer