Harnessing FilComs for our OFWs

JEDDAH: Wherever there is a large OFW population overseas, it’s inevitable that you will see the proliferation of Filipino commu as we in the migrant worker sector refer to them.

There are several varieties of FilComs abroad, each catering to a particular regional group or espousing a particular cause or objective. Usually manned by volunteer Filipino expatriates, FilComs provide a lifeline or source of information for our many OFWs abroad.

I’ve met many FilCom volunteers during my trip to Kuwait, Riyadh and Alkhobar the past week, most of them full time (and long-time) OFWs who dedicate their free time seeking out and helping our distressed workers in the Middle East.

Aside from providing a platform for Filipino expatriates to connect with their countrymen, in government services overseas, especially given the usually undermanned Philippine embassies or consulates abroad. This may involve assisting our embassy or (POLO) personnel during mass repatriations of OFWs, or in distributing relief goods to distressed Filipino workers. Other FilComs help our embassy and POLO in disseminating information to their OFW members or to the Filipino community at large regarding immigration and labor matters affecting our expatriates abroad.

There are, however, a number of FilComs who make it their mis workers complaining of maltreatment or abuse via social media or through email. But that is a risky and dangerous endeavor, especially in the Middle East, where going to the employer’s house could land you in jail.

Strict privacy laws in Saudi Arabia, for instance, prohibit strangers from any direct contact with the employer of an OFW, except through the police or other law enforcement authorities. This explains why gaining custody of abused or maltreated domestic workers usually take a lot of time and effort on the part of embassy personnel.

Recognizing the need to quickly assist Filipino workers in peril while keeping our good- intentioned and civicminded Filipinos safe from harm, Philippine ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Adnan Alonto, has devised a new strategy that would empower FilComs who wish to come to the aid of distressed OFWs.

A successful practicing lawyer before his appointment as the top diplomat in Saudi Arabia, Alonto plans to conduct free paralegal training to volunteers from Filipino associations throughout the Kingdom in order to provide them with the basic legal skills and knowledge to help our countrymen in trouble. As Alonto envisions it, the corps of FilCom paralegals can provide immediate, proper, and effective assistance to distressed OFWs without having to put themselves in harm’s way.

Of course, this strategy will only work if our FilComs willingly and actively participate in Alonto’s plan. Sure, it’s not sexy, and it probably won’t garner any media mileage, but a competent and dedicated paralegal corps on the ground can make more of an impact than an army of maverick volunteers.

I was also asked during one of our dialogues with members of the Filipino community in Saudi Arabia what particular help their associations or organizations could give our distressed OFWs. After going around Kuwait, Riyadh, and Alkhobar, I only had one answer— to engage or employ the services of interpreters and translators for our OFWs in trouble.

Being in a foreign land and unable to speak the language afraid or unwilling to seek help from labor or law enforcement for good reason. Oftentimes, our migrant workers are refused assistance, denied service or even ignored in the government of barrier. Although the embassy and POLO employ interpreters and translators, they are often overwhelmed by the sheer volume of cases on their desks.

Of course, most Filipinos think the solution is simple: add more interpreters and translators in our embassies abroad. That’s easier said than done, however.

Unknown to ordinary folk, the number of officials and personnel ( including locally hired staff) that our embassies (and the POLO) can deploy to a particular embassy, post or country is limited by so- called the host governments. In short, the Philippine government cannot station as many people as it wants in our embassies abroad since personnel deployments to overseas posts not only require the approval of the host government but are allowed only up to a certain number.

This is why having a fleet of non-government FilCom interpreters and translators beyond the sphere of reciprocity agreements can be a big boon to our OFWs, especially in the Middle East.

Let’s hope our Filipino organizations, associations and volunteers abroad heed the call to serve our in more innovative and effective ways.