Illegal Pinoys abroad in deeper rut

FILIPINO migrant workers, mostly those undocumented, feel the brunt of foreign governments’ stringent economic measures resulting from the impact of the global financial crisis with continuing arrests in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) while those in Malaysia are forced to use their passports as collateral to get loans to get by as they continue to seek permanent jobs.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Tuesday said 84 Filipina cleaners abandoned by their employers were arrested in Ajman in the UAE. The Philippine consulate general in Dubai took custody of 46, and is working on the release of the remaining 38.

“The Filipinas are employees of a certain Khalid Ahmed Hassan Mohamed, who failed to pay their salaries and rent for their accommodation in Ajman,” the consulate reported to the DFA.

At the same time, the Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur raised concerns on the rising number of Filipino workers who use their passports as collateral to get personal loans, ranging from $322 to $1,612.

The DFA called on the Filipinos, estimated to reach 300,000 to 400,000, in Malaysia, half of them undocumented, to “preserve the integrity of the Philippine passport.”

They were also reminded that the practice is strictly prohibited, since the passport is a government property. The Philippine passport law prohibits the use of passports for such practices and violators may suffer cancellation of their travel documents.

The department also advised Filipinos in Malaysia not to compromise their safety and security by taking out loans from illegal lenders, because these people “may physically harm them or, in extreme cases, kill [them]” if they are caught leaving Malaysia.

“Filipinos are said to be not concerned over the importance of their passport because they can simply lodge a police report for their “misplaced” or “lost” passport, which they can submit to the embassy as part of their application to have their passport replaced,” said a DFA statement. —  Illegal Pinoys abroad in deeper rut
Tuesday, 12 October 2010 13:46 Estrella Torres / Reporter
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FILIPINO migrant workers, mostly those undocumented, feel the brunt of foreign governments’ stringent economic measures resulting from the impact of the global financial crisis with continuing arrests in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) while those in Malaysia are forced to use their passports as collateral to get loans to get by as they continue to seek permanent jobs.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Tuesday said 84 Filipina cleaners abandoned by their employers were arrested in Ajman in the UAE. The Philippine consulate general in Dubai took custody of 46, and is working on the release of the remaining 38.

“The Filipinas are employees of a certain Khalid Ahmed Hassan Mohamed, who failed to pay their salaries and rent for their accommodation in Ajman,” the consulate reported to the DFA.

At the same time, the Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur raised concerns on the rising number of Filipino workers who use their passports as collateral to get personal loans, ranging from $322 to $1,612.

The DFA called on the Filipinos, estimated to reach 300,000 to 400,000, in Malaysia, half of them undocumented, to “preserve the integrity of the Philippine passport.”

They were also reminded that the practice is strictly prohibited, since the passport is a government property. The Philippine passport law prohibits the use of passports for such practices and violators may suffer cancellation of their travel documents.

The department also advised Filipinos in Malaysia not to compromise their safety and security by taking out loans from illegal lenders, because these people “may physically harm them or, in extreme cases, kill [them]” if they are caught leaving Malaysia.

“Filipinos are said to be not concerned over the importance of their passport because they can simply lodge a police report for their “misplaced” or “lost” passport, which they can submit to the embassy as part of their application to have their passport replaced,” said a DFA statement.   Illegal Pinoys abroad in deeper rut
Tuesday, 12 October 2010 13:46 Estrella Torres / Reporter
E-mail Print PDF

FILIPINO migrant workers, mostly those undocumented, feel the brunt of foreign governments’ stringent economic measures resulting from the impact of the global financial crisis with continuing arrests in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) while those in Malaysia are forced to use their passports as collateral to get loans to get by as they continue to seek permanent jobs.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Tuesday said 84 Filipina cleaners abandoned by their employers were arrested in Ajman in the UAE. The Philippine consulate general in Dubai took custody of 46, and is working on the release of the remaining 38.

“The Filipinas are employees of a certain Khalid Ahmed Hassan Mohamed, who failed to pay their salaries and rent for their accommodation in Ajman,” the consulate reported to the DFA.

At the same time, the Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur raised concerns on the rising number of Filipino workers who use their passports as collateral to get personal loans, ranging from $322 to $1,612.

The DFA called on the Filipinos, estimated to reach 300,000 to 400,000, in Malaysia, half of them undocumented, to “preserve the integrity of the Philippine passport.”

They were also reminded that the practice is strictly prohibited, since the passport is a government property. The Philippine passport law prohibits the use of passports for such practices and violators may suffer cancellation of their travel documents.

The department also advised Filipinos in Malaysia not to compromise their safety and security by taking out loans from illegal lenders, because these people “may physically harm them or, in extreme cases, kill [them]” if they are caught leaving Malaysia.

“Filipinos are said to be not concerned over the importance of their passport because they can simply lodge a police report for their “misplaced” or “lost” passport, which they can submit to the embassy as part of their application to have their passport replaced,” said a DFA statement. –Estrella Torres / Reporter, Businessmirror