Labor advocates oppose proposal to amend Migrant Workers Act

A group of labor advocates yesterday voiced their opposition to the proposed amendments to the Migrant Workers Act, saying it does not address the concerns of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) but only encourages illegal recruitment and corruption in government.

The National Labor Union (NLU) said the proposed amendments to the Act, instead, are tailor fit to abet illegal recruitment and worsen corruption in government.

NLU president Dave Diwa also called on members of Congress to defer the passage of the amendments to the Act set to go through the bicameral conference committee on September 23.

“With the passage of the amendments, Congress will put into law the wish list of illegal recruiters and the corrupt in government,” Diwa said, adding making the law very harsh and most difficult for the legitimate placement agencies to operate will encourage illegal recruitment lead to widespread corruption.

According to Diwa, illegal recruiters are least bothered with the law, the reason they are illegal. “Harsh laws then target the legitimate placement agencies which will be forced to close shop,” he added.

“Illegal recruitment is not caused by lack of laws. It is caused by absence of enforcement of existing laws,” Diwa pointed out, adding illegal recruiters thrive because of corruption in the government, the reason laws are not enforced.

Diwa described the amendments as giving reasons to illegal recruiters and the corrupt in government to fleece more money from victims by claiming that the law has upped the risks in their illegal trade.

“The net effect of these amendments is legitimate agencies close shop. Illegal recruitment flourish and the corrupt in government fatten their pockets,” Diwa said, expressing suspicion that Congress is being used by corrupt government officials to up the cost of corruption with these amendments to the migrant workers.  –Conrado Ching, Daily Tribune