MANILA, Philippines—Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) may soon be provided with compulsory insurance to cover monetary claims or damages awarded to them in the course of doing their jobs.
This was one of the new protection measures enshrined in a proposed bill to improve the standards of protection and assistance for migrant workers.
The proposed measure, which has passed the third reading in the House of Representatives, seeks to amend the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995.
Under the bill, recruitment agencies will be required to take out compulsory employment liability insurance for each worker they deploy abroad. The insurance should be secured at no cost to the worker, and would be used for money claims or damages awarded the worker in a judgment or settlement of his case.
The insurance benefit per worker will be the equivalent of three months of his salary for every year of contract.
If the agency is found to have made the worker pay for the insurance premium, the recruitment agency will lose its license and its officials will be barred from engaging in the recruitment business.
The bill also slaps stiffer penalties on officials and employees of the Department of Labor and Employment who unlawfully allow Filipinos to work in countries that have no guarantees to protect them.
Those who violate this measure will be dismissed from government service and disqualified from holding an appointive public office for five years.
The bill requires government agencies involved in sending Filipino workers abroad to provide Congress with a semi-annual report on their progress.
Bohol Rep. Edgar Chatto, one of the bill’s authors, said that it was imperative for the government to lead the way in protecting the rights of overseas Filipino workers. Both the workers and the country would benefit if their rights were secure, he said.
“If amply protected, they will continue to remit the needed income for the support of their families as well as contribute to the fiscal growth of the government,” Chatto said in a statement.–Leila Salaverria, Philippine Daily Inquirer
September 18 –
International Equal Pay Day
“Increase wages now,
more than other cost items.
For widespread, practical equality!”
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against serious violations of protocols of
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September –
5 Sept – Intl Day of Charity
7 Sept – Intl Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies
8 Sept – International Literacy Day
12 Sept – United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation
15 Sept – International Day of Democracy
16 Sept – International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer
17 Sept – World Patient Safety Day
18 Sept – International Equal Pay Day
21 Sept – International Day of Peace
26 Sept – International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons
27 Sept – World Tourism Day
28 Sept – International Day for Universal Access to Information
29 Sept – International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste
30 Sept – World Maritime Day
Monthly Observances:
Health, Safety and Sanitation Month
National Clean-up Month
Civil Service Month
National Peace Consciousness Month
Social Security Month
Rule of Law Month
National Teachers’ Month (Sept 5-Oct 4)
Weekly Observances:
Sept 17 – 23:
World Clean and Green Week
Week 2: Education Week
Week 4: Medicine Week
Last Week: National Family Week
Daily Observances:
Third Saturday:
International Coastal Clean-up Day
Third Monday: World Health Day
Last Friday: National Maritime Day
Sept 8: National Literacy Day
Sept 15: Philippine Medicine Day
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