Labor migration and the plight of OFWs

MANILA, Philippines – The deplorable situation of some of the country’s overseas workers has hogged headlines for days. More than a month after an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) abandoned her newborn on a Gulf Air flight, OFW Marlon Cueva supposedly took his own life on his return trip home.

Migrante International says such cases are an indication of government’s lack of support for overseas Filipino workers.

“Hindi ako magtataka kung totoo na nagpakamatay si Mr. Cuevas.  Yung desperasyon niya na kailangan ng tulong at naramdaman niyang abandoned siya,” says Migrante International Chairman Gary Martinez on ANC’s “The Rundown” on Thursday. He also refers to the case of the Gulf Air baby.

“Nag-iwan din ng sanggol sa eroplano. Nagpapakita ito na sa kabila ng pagiging nanay, namutawi ang takot. Ito ang kakulangan ng gobyerno na i-address yung social cost of migration at labor export na naghahatid ng kapahamakan sa mamamayan.” (Related story: Gulf Air baby’s mom victim of rape: DSWD)

The situation of OFWs

The case of Marlon Cueva is just the tip of a worsening situation for the country’s overseas workers. (Related Story: OFW found dead in Gulf Air plane committed suicide, says SOCO)

Another case is that of 28-year-old Millet Ante.

Ante was illegally recruited to work in Jordan. Aside from getting less than what she was hired for, she was also beaten, and even came close to being raped.

She fled to a good samaritan who called the agency and brought her there.  The agency had offered to give her work in a hotel if she waited, but fearing it would end up the same way, she opted to leave.

Millet’s case was waived via a simple diplomatic arrangement.

“Yung runaway case ng amo ko  in-exchange yung attempted rape and case cleared lang. Sa Jordan police, pina-erase lang sa government nila na di ako magkakaso, kasi hindi talaga papanigan nila kasi sa Pilipinas ako galing. Papanigan talaga nila yung employer ko kasi Jordanian siya,” Millet says, also on ANC’s “The Rundown.”

Millet’s sister Linen Ante continues to fight her own abuse case in Jordan.

Today, Millet swears, following her traumatic experience, she will no longer find work abroad.

Calling the arrangement “unfair,” Martinez says there is a similar case in Saudi Arabia, adding government should take steps to address the problem.

Meantime, Martinez reveals from 60, the number of cases of Filipinos on death row has gone up to 108.

Illegal work channels

Philippine Ambassador to Bahrain Maria Corazon Bahjin says OFWs like Millette, who find themselves in uncompromising situations, pursued better work opportunities abroad through illegal channels.

“I have more than 88 women in the shelter. Before that, more than a 100, 96% of them are undocumented, came on tourist visa. They were hired by unscrupulous people, had no contracts at all, had no knowledge at all what they were going into,” Bahjin says, adding Filipinos who seek instead to find work locally.

Solution to labor woes

“In the long term, our people can look inward instead of outside for work, go through TESDA [Technical Education and Skills Development Authority], TLRC [Technology and Livelihood Resource Center] just to get employment, even if they’re self-employed,” she adds.

Bahjin says the country now has laws that certify whether a country is a good destination for Filipinos.

“We have the R.A. [Republic Act] 1022, we are asked to give a certification if a country is certified to be a good destination for OFWs.  For the short term, that’s good.  Through this, we can spot which countries would not be good, especially for the unskilled and household workers,” Bahjin says.

She adds that aside from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), other agencies should also work together to ensure the protection of the country’s overseas workers.

Citing reduced state funds to two main pipelines to OFWs–the assistance to nationals and the legal assistance fund–Martinez says the Aquino administration should show its sincerity in helping Filipinos.

“Sana maging malinaw sa gobyerno paano nila matutugunan ito. Dapat tumindig na agad ang pamahalaan sa panig ng OFW, huwag na pag-isipang undocumented o tourist yan. Ipakita niya sa host country na kaya niyang protektahan. Pangalawa, yung budget, may direktiba ang Pangulo na tutukan ang OFW.  Ang long-term solution, tanggapin na ng pamahalaan na ang labor export program ay hindi talaga ikauunlad ng isang bansa bagkus sakit, kamatayan at paggagahasa sa ating kababaihan,” Martinez says.  –Caroline J. Howard, ABS-CBN News Channel