Palace not yet keen on repatriating OFWs from Libya

Implementing forced repatriation of Filipino workers in conflicttorn Libya is unnecessary for now, Malacañang said yesterday.

Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said agencies are still studying the situation in the North African country, which is beset by armed clashes between Libyan forces and Tripoli government troops.

“(Labor) Secretary (Silvestre) Bello (III)... is handling the situation rightly, correctly. So, many are saying they are not affected because they are far from the conflict area,” Panelo said when asked whether the government would implement forced repatriation.

“Maybe it would be too hasty if we repatriate them. It depends on the situation. Again, that will be a studied reaction. We will check the situation before we act,” he added.

The Department of Labor and Employment has announced a plan to issue a deployment ban of Filipino workers to Libya once it receives notice from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) about the alert level on the strife-torn country.

The DFA has raised Alert Level III or voluntary repatriation phase in several districts in Libya.

Meanwhile, foreign domestic helpers, including Filipinos, continue to suffer from long working hours.

In its 2018 Service Report, the Mission for Migrant Workers (MFMW) said nine of 10 domestic helpers complained of being forced to work for 11 hours or even longer each day.

MFMW provides counseling, shelter and other service to distressed migrant domestic helpers.

MFMW said 99 percent of the 5,188 migrants who sought their assistance in 2018 complained of long working hours.

A majority or 78 percent of foreign migrants are Filipinos, while Indonesians accounted for 20 percent.

MFMW general manager Cynthia Abdon said their data indicated a nine-percent increase in the number of domestic helpers who work for more than 16 hours a day.

Based on the report, the number of migrant workers who are treated badly by their employers also rose by seven percent.

“Those who report that they have been physically assaulted by their employers have doubled to 10 percent compared with five percent in 2017,” MFMW said.

One in five of the service users reported ill-treatment from employers and wards, while three of 10 have no days-off, according to the group.