About 85% of OFWs in Syria undocumented

About 85 percent of the total 17,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) working in Syria were undocumented and were illegally recruited and victims of human trafficking, according to Blas Ople Policy Center (BOPC).

Susan Ople, director of the BOPC, said this yesterday at “Balitaan Sa Tinapayan” forum where she belied earlier reports that only 60 to 70 OFWs had expressed desire to return to RP after being caught in the Syrian conflict.

“Hindi ako naniniwala na kokonti lang sila, marami akong natanggap ng text na humihingi ng tulong para makauwi na sila sa bansa at ang iba sa kanila ay pinipigilan ng kanilang mga employers at ang iba ay hindi alam ang gagawin,” Ople said.

Ople asked the government to host a dialog between the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the families of OFWs working in Syria and hope to forge a high level negotiation with the Syrian government for the repatriation of OFWs trapped on the recent violence in Syria.

It was learned that a big number of workers have entered Syria through illegal recruitment which numbers to some 7,000 OFWs.

Ople said that it is about time that the government should run after illegal recruiters in our land.

Most of the recruited workers came from the province and did not pass through legitimate process when they left the country as tourists but after reaching Syria they worked as domestic helpers.

In addition to Syria, it was learned that there are also huge numbers of undocumented workers who entered Jordan.

“Hindi sila makalutang, dahil natatakot ang iba dahil nakapasok nga sila sa Syria sa pamamagitan ng illegal recruitment,”Ople added.

Ninety-five percent of the OFWs in Syria were women and most of them didn’t have in their possession their passports while others were padlocked and were not permitted by their employers to go out of the house. –Pat C. Santos, Daily Tribune