ESTABLISH POLO FOR EUROPE AND BALTIC STATES, PASEI URGES DOLE
The Philippine Association of Service Exporters, Inc. ( PASEI), fresh from its successful Europe Marketing Mission from 5 to 24 June, yesterday urged the government, through the Departments of Labor and Employment and Foreign Affairs, to establish two Philippine Overseas Labor Offices ( POLOs)— one in Germany and another either in the Czech Republic or Poland— to ensure that overseas Filipino workers entering the labor markets of these two countries are secured and protected and so that employers will find it easy to recruit OFWs.
Mrs. Elsa U. Villa, PASEI President, said yesterday during a post- mission press conference that OFWs and employers in these countries, are already clamoring for the presence of Philippine overseas labor and employment officials to attend to their needs.
“Right now, verification of employers’ documents and bona fides are being done either at the POLOs in Milan and Rome, Italy, or in Geneva, Switzerland, which are very far thus, would take days, if not months, to process. With a POLO in Germany, employers and OFWs in Central Europe would be convenienced to process their documents relative to OFW hiring,” Mrs. Villa said.
“Another POLO, either in Prague, Czech Republic, or in Warsaw, Poland, could take care of OFWs and employers in these countries, including Hungary, as well as in the Baltic States of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. The POLO can also cover other countries in the Baltic Sea where Filipinos are present, such as Denmark, Finland, Russia, and Sweden,” Mrs. Villa said.
She said that in addition to these countries, there are already incipient OFW presence in the labor markets of Croatia, Ukraine, Slovakia, Yugoslavia, and Moldavia, which any of the proposed POLOs can cover.
The DOLE and the DFA, she explained, would need to assign experienced and qualified personnel to these POLOs and should ask Congress for additional resources for the purpose.
“The House of Representatives and the Senate should support our recommendation, considering the enormous contribution of OFWs to the Philippine economy. We should bring within the reach of our OFWs in these countries all available government services,” Mrs. Villa said.
“We will discuss this recommendation shortly with the POEA because during our mission, Philippine Embassy officials in Prague, Czech Republic and in Warsaw, Poland, are open to and support our recommendation," Mrs. Villa said, finally.
The PASEI had just concluded a marketing mission in the Czech Republic, Poland, Germany, and Austria, with the following as members of the delegation: PASEI President Elsa Villa, President of Krona International Services, Inc.; PASEI Chairman of the Board of Directors, Mrs. Edwina Lema- Beech, who is also the President of Mabuhay Personnel & Management Services, Inc.; Board Director and Treasurer Julie Rose M. Inso, who is also the President of Coreteam Manpower Services, Inc.; Board Director and Assistant Treasurer Rowena M. Paragas, who is the President of NYD International Placement Agency, Inc.; Board Director and Public Relations Officer Raquel E. Bracero, who is the President of Peridot International Resources, Inc.; and Board Director Susana A. Virtus, who is the President of All Seasons Manpower International Services, Inc; Kenneth L. Martirez, Vice President, Aram Enterprises, Inc.; Christina dela Cruz Frey, President and CEO, Chartreuse Prime Recruitment Specialists, Inc., and her daughter, Zeanne Michelle DC. Bello, Corporate Secretary and Sales and Marketing Manager; Jovita G. Baltazar, Marketing Consultant, Humanlink International Manpower Agency; Mary Mei Victorino, President, Mother’s Way Overseas Manpower Specialists Corporation; Jenny P. Clavero, President, Mountain Peak International Human Resources Corporation; Lea M. Singian, President, Provident Overseas Placement Agency; Rose Marie M. Lainez and Joan H. Lainez, President and CEO and Corporate Secretary, respectively, R. I. S. E. Manpower Services; Grace C. Woo, President, VALESCOSMS; Richard A. Bonifacio, General Manager, Venture Management Systems; Marites Joan G. Quezon, President, JOBS Manila International, Inc.; Cristina S. Honor, President, Cleopatra International Placement Agency, Inc.; and Myrna A. Magalong, General Manager, Transnational Services, Inc.