Considered as the living heroes of the Philippines, Filipino migrant workers all over the world have long been contributing to the economic growth of the country. With their families as their inspirations, Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) have also suffered a great deal of emotional and physical pain just to be able send money back at home.
As if days without their loved ones and nights of sleeping alone are not enough, most OFWs sadly find themselves meeting illegal recruiters who give them empty promises, bosses who physically and verbally abuse them, and be in a host country where a political turmoil has erupted.
Believing that it is just about time that these heroes get the treatment they deserve, Senator Manny Villar has recently expressed his concern about the need to put up a government agency that will solely cater to the needs of migrant Filipino workers.
Villar mentioned in a report from journal.com.ph last Feb. 18 that the specified department for the migrant Filipino workers which will be called the Department of Migrant Filipinos, “would simplify and harmonize efforts to look after them when there’s a crisis and secure their welfare and rights during peace time. “
At present, undocumented OFWs need to go to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). A migrant OFW is advised to go to the Overseas Workers Welfare Association (OWWA) if he is a member there; if not, he may go to the Office of the Secretary for Migrant Workers (OMWA).
Some of the advantages of the Department of Migrant Filipinos cited by Senator Villar included less finger-pointing on what particular agency should handle the unique cases of each OFWs.
While acknowledging the good interest of having a separate agency for Pinoy workers abroad, OFW advocate Susan “Toots” Ople was rather unenthusiastic with the idea in a report from ABS-CBN News last March 6. According to her, putting up an agency for OFWs is like admitting that most Pinoys are destined to seek employment outside the country “forever.”
OWWA Administrator, Carmelita Dimzon also said in the same report that pros and cons need to be weighed first before finally going with a separate agency for the OFWs.
The remittances of Filipino migrant workers make up for the most part of the economic progress of the country. Helping them directly and giving them appropriate attention is only proper and does not have to mean admitting defeat as Filipinos who are forever dependent on other countries to sustain us. There is nothing to be ashamed of as long as a person feeds his family in a decent way. Helping migrant Pinoy workers should be a sign that their kababayans back at home are willing to extend the bayanihan spirit especially to them who are working hard outside the country for their families and their country.
(www.asianjournal.com)
(NYNJ March 9-15, 2012 Sec A pg.6)
