Reaching out

“IT is a miracle.”
Many Filipinos and supporters around the world heaved a sigh of relief after the Indonesian government decided to postpone the execution of convicted overseas Filipino worker (OFW) Mary Jane Veloso.
Veloso was given a last-minute reprieve from her scheduled execution by a firing squad by Indonesian Attorney General Muhammad Prasetyo. Prasetyo granted the request of the Philippine government after Veloso’s recruiter, Maria Cristina Sergio, surrendered at the Nueva Ecija Provincial Police Office on Tuesday, April 28, hours before the expiration of the 72-hour execution notice.
Sentenced to death by an Indonesian court in 2010 for drug trafficking, Veloso maintained her innocence throughout her trial. She claimed that Sergio framed her. Now, Veloso is living on borrowed time. Her reprieve will only be carried out to give way to the proceedings of her case in the Philippines. Until then, Veloso is still bound by Indonesia’s stringent death penalty laws.
May this respite be a turning point for the plight of OFWs. Veloso’s situation is shared by many of our unsung heroes who fly out of the country each day, away from their families, and loved ones, away from their homes in search of a thriving career. For some of them, they leave in search of greener pastures, but are faced with a desolate moor because of the dangers they are immersed in.
The Philippines is one of the biggest exporters of manpower in the world, with about eight million Filipino deployed in various countries every year working as blue and white collar workers.  The money they send to their families and loved ones back home is help keeps the economy afloat.
OFWs are compelled to abide by the laws of the country they settle in. But even though they left, the Philippine government is still responsible for them.
Republic Act no. 8042, otherwise known as the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995, as amended by Republic Act No. 10022, provides that the State shall, at all times, uphold the dignity of its citizens whether in country or overseas, “continuously monitor international conventions, adopt/be signatory to and ratify those that guarantee protection to our migrant workers, and endeavor to enter into bilateral agreements with countries hosting overseas Filipino workers.”
The main consideration of this law is the deployment of OFWs abroad, the protection of their well-being, rights and welfare, and the upholding of their dignity. The Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act is merely a reactive measure that won’t solve all the problems of OFWs.
This legislation must be put to test. The Philippine government must review its current policies and strategy to avoid a repeat of Veloso’s predicament—to ensure the safety and welfare of overseas Filipinos in crisis situations. Concerned agencies must rigorously monitor the situation of Filipino nationals across the globe, especially those caught in crises. They must initiate effective mechanisms to provide real and effective solutions to the overwhelming challenges facing Filipino migrants in foreign lands.
These Filipinos who took a leap of faith, and are persevering in industries from different regions around the world, have helped the Philippine government to turn a struggling economy into a resilient fiscal system. It is now time for the government to give back and let kababayans abroad reap the benefits of their hard work.
(AJPress)