Cimatu arrives in Iraq amid clamor to lift work ban

DUBAI – Special envoy to the Middle East Roy Cimatu has arrived in war-torn Iraq amid growing clamor to lift the work and travel ban of Filipinos in that country.

Cimatu flew last Thursday to Iraq after the US Central Command in Baghdad issued an order to its various contractors to repatriate all its expatriate workers whose countries have an existing work and travel ban.

The companies were given 60 to 90 days to send home their “illegal” workers.

But a Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) statement also said Cimatu is in Iraq to assess the security situation of Filipinos based there following the phased withdrawal of US troops and pullout of combat troops by end of August.

Cimatu is expected to submit his report and recommendations to the interagency committee composed of the Office of the Executive Secretary, DFA, Department Labor and Employment, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, among others, upon his return next week.

Reports reaching the ABS-CBN Middle East News Bureau in Dubai said Cimatu went last night to the Victory Base Complex in Baghdad.

He was welcomed by Filipinos working in at least 49 companies inside the US military base.

Marivic Hubac, an administrative Assistant at URS Sallyport said Cimatu was quite surprised to see more Filipinos in Camp Victory compared to what he saw when he last visited the camp about a couple of years ago.

The DFA said the number of Filipino workers in Iraq is at 6,000. But a recent statement by an Iraqi diplomat in Manila said the population of Filipino workers in Iraq has grown to as much as 15,000.

On the other hand, Alvin Alvarado, a logistics supervisor at Mantech International Corporation in Camp Liberty said Cimatu told OFWS that he was quite convinced that the peace and order situation in Iraq has greatly improved based on his personal experience after landing safely at the Baghdad International Airport, as well as his land travel to the Victory Base Complex.

Cimatu allegedly promised the Filipino workers he will report the Philippine government all his positive observations in his latest visit to Iraq.

In the same meeting, 2 representatives of separate big companies in Iraq, expressed to Cimatu their full support to lift the work and travel ban of Filipinos in Iraq.

Don Stinson of Anham-Prime Vendors Company and Chuck Strausbaugh of 3di Technologies told Cimatu that Filipino workers are prime movers for the speedy recovery and development of Iraq because their excellent skills and good work attitude.

OFW not keen on Cimatu’s visit

Meanwhile, Migrante International chairperson Garry Martinez said many OFWs are not enthusiastic about the special envoy’s visit to Iraq due to a number of unresolved issues involving Cimatu.

“Hindi welcome si Cimatu sa ating mga kababayan sa Iraq dahil minsan na niyang nilinlang ang mga OFW doon at hindi pinagkalooban ng proteksyon,” Martinez said in a press statement.

Among the issues cited by Martinez were the DFA’s alleged failure to evacuate OFWs during the Iraq war in 2004 despite the allocation of $253,500 repatriation funds and the allegations that Cimatu spent the said funds for the procurement of Humvees, other military vehicles and food for RP troops deployed to Iraq in 2004.

“Until now, no investigation has taken place on the alleged misuse of the repatriation funds. Hindi mga OFW ang nakinabang doon because no evacuation took place in 2005,” Martinez said.

He added that while they welcomed the evacuation of thousands of OFWs in Iraq following the pullout order, they still have many apprehensions.

“Mixed emotions ang ating mga OFWs dahil alam nilang kapag bumalik sila dito ay hindi naman tiyak na magkakatrabaho sila. Most of them would opt to risk danger and death instead of job insecurity here. This is the saddest reality for our OFWs in Iraq,” Martinez said.

The Migrante leader called on the Aquino administration to immediately address the employment of at least 15,000 OFWs who are set to be pulled out from Iraq.

“Hindi sasapat ang P10,000 na reintegration training package na ipinagmamalaki ng DFA. Ang kailangan ng ating mga kababayan ay trabahong nakakabuhay at may katiyakan,” he said.  –Dindo Amparo, ABS-CBN Middle East News Bureau Chief