Aquino told: Stop forced migration, create jobs at home

MANILA, Philippines—Migrante International, an alliance of overseas Filipino workers, families and advocates worldwide, today called on President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino to make good his promise of stopping forced migration by generating more local jobs.

“Our people are being forced to go abroad out of desperation,” said Garry Martinez, chairperson of Migrante International.

Martinez said that there are currently 11 million OFWs and an estimated 3,800 leaving the country at a daily rate. The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) recorded 1.9 million OFWs in 2009 alone.

“The economy’s lack of development resulting in job loss at home is the root cause. It is a sad consequence when our labor force is uprooted from their families, forced to endure unfair labor practices and abuses, and in some cases, suffer injury and death, in exchange for cheap labor because of government failure to address poverty and unemployment,” he said.

OFW remittances have kept the economy afloat amid fiscal deficit and the global economic crisis. Remittances have reached record-high levels at $1.6 billion last May.

“But while the national economy benefits from OFW remittances, the surge has unfortunately made it convenient for the government to skirt around curbing poverty and creating decent jobs at home,” Martinez said.

He said,” Aquino should decisively deviate from the past Arroyo administration’s labor export policy and focus instead on developing the national economy.”

OFWs should be top priority

Martinez said that forced migration has induced grave problems such as illegal recruitment, human trafficking, modern-day slavery, discrimination and immigration crackdowns, leaving in their wake thousands of OFWs in death row, jailed or stranded overseas.

Migrante has recorded 1,665 cases of human trafficking from 2003 to 2009, with women and children as the most common victims of white slavery and forced labor. Meanwhile, there are currently 102 cases of OFWs in death row, of which 66 are from China and 26 from the Middle East; while 226 are stranded and languishing in Filipino shelters in the Middle East, Somalia and Taiwan.

“There are also thousands in jails abroad who are enduring the most deplorable and cruel of conditions and lacking much-needed support from the DFA, Philippine embassies and consulates.” Of present, he said, they have recorded at least six OFWs from the Middle East Region whose remains are yet to be sent back home.

“Unfortunately, in the past, the government had failed to provide assistance, welfare and protection to OFWs. Agencies such as the DFA, POEA, OWWA and their representatives in Philippine embassies and consulates abroad have been subject to numerous complaints from OFWs and their families,” said Martinez.

Instead, he said, they have but figured in numerous cases of corruption and accused of imposing exorbitant state exactions and conniving with big illegal recruitment syndicates.

“Urgent actions are needed. OFWs should be of topmost national priority in the Aquino administration,” he said.

“The re-appointment of Sec. Alberto Romulo in the DFA, for one, offers dim hopes for OFWs. We hope that it does not entail the continuation of the status quo.”

He asked Aquino to immediately investigate Romulo in the DFA’s anomalous e-passport contract, which has gained ire anew from OFWs after the imposition of steeper e-passport in the country and abroad.

Martinez also called on Aquino to “audit and investigate” where the OWWA (Overseas Workers Welfare Agency) funds have gone.

The OWWA manages funds coming from $25 contributions per contract of each OFW. OWWA funds are said to have reached P12 billion in 2010. OFWs, however, say that the funds they contributed do not trickle down to much-needed welfare service from the OWWA. For instance, in 2005, of the 5,168 OFWs jailed, about 900 were denied services by the OWWA.

Migrante International joined other sectors in today’s People’s SONA rally with an internationally-coordinated action with its chapters abroad. –INQUIRER.net