Lip service only? ‘Still Christmas in crisis for OFWS’

ACHRISTMAS in crisis. This was how a migrant advocate group, Migrante International, described the plight of overseas Filipino workers (OFW) in the yuletide season, as it blamed alleged government negligence for such.

“Migrante Philippines asserts that despite pretending to serve OFWS and their migrants as ‘modern-day heroes,’ the Marcos government has failed to significantly resolve these pressing issues,” the group said in a statement on Monday.

It issued a 12-point list of issues that it wants the government to grant following the celebration of the International Migrants Day last Sunday.

“We call for quick and decisive action to give labor justice, just and safe working conditions, and rights to express our condemnation of these anti-migrant policies and schemes,” Migrante said.

Foremost in its demand is for the settlement of P4.6 billion in claims of 9,000 OFWS who were displaced from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2015 and 2016.

It also called for the repatriation of Mary Jane Veloso, who has been on death row in Indonesia for over a decade due drug-related charges.

The group also called for better benefits such as justice for victims of human traffickers; the passage of the law for the Magna Carta for Seafarers; the granting of P10,000 benefits and livelihood aid for pandemic-displaced OFWS; reduction in passport and consular fees.

The list also includes the abolition of the following: the laws which require compulsory OFW membership in the Social Security System (SSS), Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (Philhealth), and Pag IBIG Fund; the Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC); and the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).

Last, Migrante also pushed for initiatives, which will help the families of OFWS in the country including a P1,100 national minimum wage, price control for basic commodities; and for the government to stop red-tagging.

“As we approach the Christmas season, many migrants and their families worry about the food to serve on their table, while the politicians scheme for a ‘Maharlika Wealth Fund (MWF)’ that aims to rob the common people of their social service contributions for profiteering,” Migrante said.

The MWF is patterned on the sovereign wealth fund of the other countries, which is meant to help the government invest in crucial sectors such as energy and agriculture.