MANILA, Philippines — Philippine labor officials in the UAE reminded Filipino college graduates who look for an easy way into the UAE against falling victim to unscrupulous agents.
Philippine Labor Attaché Nasser Munder said such recruiters lure them into signing contracts as servants with a promise that when they arrive here they will work as a saleslady, crew and private tutors.
“Most of them (victims) have not even visited their agency. They know only the agents who tell them they will work as a saleslady, crew or as private tutors when they come here," he said.
“Some are handed their visas only at the airport with a servant position, and by then it is too late for them to refuse as they are too ashamed to return home," he added.
Munder stressed the need to cooperate with the Philippine government, which is stepping up its efforts to curb illegal recruitment in the country.
“They need to be alert. They can find out (about their agency) from the POEA (Philippine Overseas Employment Agency). If they only ask the POEA, then we won’t have these problems here," he said.
He said his office cannot file illegal recruitment charges, but can only process their repatriation and advise them to file the appropriate case when they go home.
Munder said there are 19 recruitment agencies in Abu Dhabi and 17 in Al Ain accredited by POLO to employ domestic helpers and family drivers from the Philippines.
“Some of the agencies in the Philippines have counterparts here who are not accredited by the POLO office as they do not conform to standards, but they can find out from the POEA," he said. - GMANews.TV
KAKAMMPI News
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Thermal scanning urged for out-bound OFWs
A microscopic image of the A(H1N1) virus, which has so far affected 19,273 people in 66 countries and killed 117 others as of last count. APMANILA, Philippines - Local manpower agencies have proposed that all out-bound overseas Filipino workers (OFW) be made to undergo thermal scanning to assure host governments that they are A(H1N1)-free.
In a letter to the House Committee on Health, the Philippine Association of Service Exporters, Inc. (Pasei) proposed that mechanisms be put in place to allay the concerns of host countries and foreign employers that Filipino workers are A(H1N1) carriers.
“Baka naman yung employers magduda na sa atin [Employers may be doubting us] so we want to be able to tell them: don’t worry, our workers arriving in your country are influenza-free," Pasei president Victor Fernandez told GMANews.TV in an interview on Tuesday.
He said one mechanism that could be “immediately and easily" put into place is to mandatorily require all out-bound OFWs to submit themselves for thermal scanning at the departure area.
Concerns over the potential of OFWs as A(H1N1) carriers first surfaced when a Filipina nurse who had just returned from a vacation in the Philippines became Saudi Arabia’s first confirmed case of the novel virus.[See: Pinay nurse is first case of A(H1N1) in KSA]
Several other Filipinos, mostly nurses, have also been found positive of the virus in Saudi Arabia.
A Filipino man was also the first confirmed A(H1N1) case in Macau. [See: Macau’s first case of A(H1N1) is a Filipino]
Moreover, Asia’s first A(H1N1)-related death was also a Filipino. [See: Flu shots for departing OFWs proposed]
The POEA has already issued some A(H1N1) guidelines for OFWs.
The DOH has reported that the country’s total infected cases currently stand at 1,709.
As of July 6, the World Health Organization said that there have been 94,512 confirmed cases of the A(H1N1) all over the world. Of the number, there have been 429 deaths, mostly in the USA and Mexico. - GMANews.TV
In a letter to the House Committee on Health, the Philippine Association of Service Exporters, Inc. (Pasei) proposed that mechanisms be put in place to allay the concerns of host countries and foreign employers that Filipino workers are A(H1N1) carriers.
“Baka naman yung employers magduda na sa atin [Employers may be doubting us] so we want to be able to tell them: don’t worry, our workers arriving in your country are influenza-free," Pasei president Victor Fernandez told GMANews.TV in an interview on Tuesday.
He said one mechanism that could be “immediately and easily" put into place is to mandatorily require all out-bound OFWs to submit themselves for thermal scanning at the departure area.
Concerns over the potential of OFWs as A(H1N1) carriers first surfaced when a Filipina nurse who had just returned from a vacation in the Philippines became Saudi Arabia’s first confirmed case of the novel virus.[See: Pinay nurse is first case of A(H1N1) in KSA]
Several other Filipinos, mostly nurses, have also been found positive of the virus in Saudi Arabia.
A Filipino man was also the first confirmed A(H1N1) case in Macau. [See: Macau’s first case of A(H1N1) is a Filipino]
Moreover, Asia’s first A(H1N1)-related death was also a Filipino. [See: Flu shots for departing OFWs proposed]
The POEA has already issued some A(H1N1) guidelines for OFWs.
The DOH has reported that the country’s total infected cases currently stand at 1,709.
As of July 6, the World Health Organization said that there have been 94,512 confirmed cases of the A(H1N1) all over the world. Of the number, there have been 429 deaths, mostly in the USA and Mexico. - GMANews.TV
POEA tightens screening of low, semi-skilled jobs
STIFFER DEPLOYMENTListed below are the jobs that require POLO verification for POEA processing.
Low/Semi-skilled female workers bound for all countries except Canada:
1. Aerobic instructress
2. Attendants (gasoline station, food)
3. Baker
4. Beader, embroider, dressmaker, sewer, cutter, seamstress
5. Beautician, beauty consultants, make-up artists, medicinal, manicurist, hairdresser, hairstylist, nail technician
6. Cashier
7. Chambermaid
8. Checker
9. Clerk
10. Cook
11. Customer service assistant
12. Dishwasher
13. Flower arranger/florist
14. Guest relations officer (GRO), receptionist
15. Helper
16. Janitress, cleaner
17. Kitchen helper
18. Laundry woman
19. Masseuse, reflexologist
20. Merchandiser
21. Poultry worker
22. Printer, canvasser
23. Public work, worker
24. Restaurant workers, amusement park worker
25. Sales representative
26. Saleslady, supermarket worker
27. Sandwich maker, sweet maker
28. Secretary
29. Service crew
30. Skin care specialist
31. Storekeeper
32. Telephone operator
33. Waitress
Low/semi-skilled male workers bound for Bahrain:
1. Bartender
2. Butcher
3. Carpenter
4. Liaison officer
5. Machine operator
6. Mason
7. Master cutter
8. Painter
9. Plumber
10. Room boy
11. Tailor
- from POEA Memorandum Circular No. 5 MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) has tightened the deployment rules for 44 overseas jobs by adding them to its low and semi-skilled category.
The POEA, through its Memorandum Circular No. 5, said it added 44 more overseas jobs to the low and semi-skilled category “to strengthen the protection mechanism for overseas Filipino workers."
Under POEA regulations, workers under this category are required to have their individual employment contract verified by the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) before they can be processed by the POEA.
“All workers hired for [the listed] position[s] … will not be processed unless the individual employment contracts are verified by the POLO if bound for a country with no POLO presence," the agency said in its circular dated June 15, 2009.
But if the worker is bound for a country with no POLO, the employment contract shall be verified by the nearest POLO or authenticated by the nearest Philippine Embassy.
Memorandum Circular No. 6, on the other hand, listed the requirements for the issuance of exit clearances, individual employment contracts, processing requests, accomplished information sheets, employment visas or work permits; pre-departure orientation seminar certificates from the POEA, language orientation certificates from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), and national certificates from the Technical Education Skills Development Authority (Tesda).
The new rules were formulated amid mounting cases of low- and semi-skilled workers being abused, maltreated or exploited abroad.
‘Ill-advised rules’
A manpower deployment expert, however, said the POEA’s new rules were ill-advised and “disregarded" industry concerns.
“The POEA has chosen to make it difficult for the entire industry members who are deploying genuine low skilled workers," recruitment consultant Emmanuel Geslani said in a statement.
He said the new rules would “frustrate" or “turn off" foreign recruitment offices in receiving countries, specifically those in the Middle East.
“The end result will be a massive drop in deployment starting by the third quarter of 2009," he said.
But according to the Philippine Association of Service Exporters, Inc. (Pasei), this is "just a one-time difficulty."
"From my point of view, that is the best way to do it," said Pasei president Victor Fernandez in an interview with GMANews.TV.
Protection vs “reprocessing"
Moreover, POEA chief Jennifer Manalili told GMANews.TV that they were just taking measures to protect Filipino workers against “reprocessing."
“Reprocessing," as previously defined by recruiters, means using particular job orders to recruit workers into jobs different from the work that they would be given at the jobsite.
She said the 44 overseas jobs listed in the June 15 circular are the most exploited, that’s why they are requiring that POLOs first verify whether the workers have valid job orders.
“We have to stop this system of reprocessing, kawawa naman workers natin [I pity our workers]," said Manalili.
“Kung wala namang ganitong cases [If we didn’t have such cases], why should we [impose such rules]?" she added.
Groups like Center for Migrant Advocacy (CMA) echoed the sentiments of the POEA.
"We should be happy that POEA is concerned with the rights and welfare of our low, semi-skilled workers and wants to protect them from reprocessing," CMA executive director Ellene Sana told GMANews.TV in an e-mail.
She did, however, say that they are still "not happy" with the government's continuing labor export policy.
A study conducted by the Institute for Migration and Development Issues has previously revealed that the top remitters are actually the Filipino workers under the low- and semi-skilled category.
It said that from 2001 to 2007, excluding 2006, plant and machine operators and assemblers remitted the most money among male workers.
Unskilled laborers and workers, on the other hand, remitted the most among female workers during the same time. - GMANews.TV
Low/Semi-skilled female workers bound for all countries except Canada:
1. Aerobic instructress
2. Attendants (gasoline station, food)
3. Baker
4. Beader, embroider, dressmaker, sewer, cutter, seamstress
5. Beautician, beauty consultants, make-up artists, medicinal, manicurist, hairdresser, hairstylist, nail technician
6. Cashier
7. Chambermaid
8. Checker
9. Clerk
10. Cook
11. Customer service assistant
12. Dishwasher
13. Flower arranger/florist
14. Guest relations officer (GRO), receptionist
15. Helper
16. Janitress, cleaner
17. Kitchen helper
18. Laundry woman
19. Masseuse, reflexologist
20. Merchandiser
21. Poultry worker
22. Printer, canvasser
23. Public work, worker
24. Restaurant workers, amusement park worker
25. Sales representative
26. Saleslady, supermarket worker
27. Sandwich maker, sweet maker
28. Secretary
29. Service crew
30. Skin care specialist
31. Storekeeper
32. Telephone operator
33. Waitress
Low/semi-skilled male workers bound for Bahrain:
1. Bartender
2. Butcher
3. Carpenter
4. Liaison officer
5. Machine operator
6. Mason
7. Master cutter
8. Painter
9. Plumber
10. Room boy
11. Tailor
- from POEA Memorandum Circular No. 5 MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) has tightened the deployment rules for 44 overseas jobs by adding them to its low and semi-skilled category.
The POEA, through its Memorandum Circular No. 5, said it added 44 more overseas jobs to the low and semi-skilled category “to strengthen the protection mechanism for overseas Filipino workers."
Under POEA regulations, workers under this category are required to have their individual employment contract verified by the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) before they can be processed by the POEA.
“All workers hired for [the listed] position[s] … will not be processed unless the individual employment contracts are verified by the POLO if bound for a country with no POLO presence," the agency said in its circular dated June 15, 2009.
But if the worker is bound for a country with no POLO, the employment contract shall be verified by the nearest POLO or authenticated by the nearest Philippine Embassy.
Memorandum Circular No. 6, on the other hand, listed the requirements for the issuance of exit clearances, individual employment contracts, processing requests, accomplished information sheets, employment visas or work permits; pre-departure orientation seminar certificates from the POEA, language orientation certificates from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), and national certificates from the Technical Education Skills Development Authority (Tesda).
The new rules were formulated amid mounting cases of low- and semi-skilled workers being abused, maltreated or exploited abroad.
‘Ill-advised rules’
A manpower deployment expert, however, said the POEA’s new rules were ill-advised and “disregarded" industry concerns.
“The POEA has chosen to make it difficult for the entire industry members who are deploying genuine low skilled workers," recruitment consultant Emmanuel Geslani said in a statement.
He said the new rules would “frustrate" or “turn off" foreign recruitment offices in receiving countries, specifically those in the Middle East.
“The end result will be a massive drop in deployment starting by the third quarter of 2009," he said.
But according to the Philippine Association of Service Exporters, Inc. (Pasei), this is "just a one-time difficulty."
"From my point of view, that is the best way to do it," said Pasei president Victor Fernandez in an interview with GMANews.TV.
Protection vs “reprocessing"
Moreover, POEA chief Jennifer Manalili told GMANews.TV that they were just taking measures to protect Filipino workers against “reprocessing."
“Reprocessing," as previously defined by recruiters, means using particular job orders to recruit workers into jobs different from the work that they would be given at the jobsite.
She said the 44 overseas jobs listed in the June 15 circular are the most exploited, that’s why they are requiring that POLOs first verify whether the workers have valid job orders.
“We have to stop this system of reprocessing, kawawa naman workers natin [I pity our workers]," said Manalili.
“Kung wala namang ganitong cases [If we didn’t have such cases], why should we [impose such rules]?" she added.
Groups like Center for Migrant Advocacy (CMA) echoed the sentiments of the POEA.
"We should be happy that POEA is concerned with the rights and welfare of our low, semi-skilled workers and wants to protect them from reprocessing," CMA executive director Ellene Sana told GMANews.TV in an e-mail.
She did, however, say that they are still "not happy" with the government's continuing labor export policy.
A study conducted by the Institute for Migration and Development Issues has previously revealed that the top remitters are actually the Filipino workers under the low- and semi-skilled category.
It said that from 2001 to 2007, excluding 2006, plant and machine operators and assemblers remitted the most money among male workers.
Unskilled laborers and workers, on the other hand, remitted the most among female workers during the same time. - GMANews.TV
Pinoy maids not wanted in conflict-ridden Iran - DFA
MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has reminded aspiring overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) that there are no job openings for household service workers in strife-torn Iran.
The DFA issued the advisory following reports from the Philippine Embassy in Tehran that some Filipino women are stranded while facing illegal employment charges in Iran.
"Since the Iranian government does not allow foreign domestic helpers, no permit will be issued, thus OFWs will end up as illegal workers [if they go there]," the DFA said.
Foreign nationals who work illegally in Iran will be fined IR 3,000,000.00 or equivalent to US$30.00, for each day of overstay in the country.
Unwitting Filipinos often enter via Dubai using tourist visas believing that their work permits will be processed upon their arrival in Iran.
There are around 1,500 Filipinos in Tehran, consisting mostly of spouses and children of Iranians.
Meanwhile, Philippine authorities have advised Filipinos based there to take precautionary measures at home and at work amid the continued tension over alleged electoral fraud. [See: Take safety precautions, RP tells Pinoys in Iran]
The DFA reiterated that the Philippine Embassy in Tehran is in touch with Filipinos in the area and is prepared to activate and carry out its contingency plan, "if needed." - Joseph Holandes Ubalde, GMANews.TV
The DFA issued the advisory following reports from the Philippine Embassy in Tehran that some Filipino women are stranded while facing illegal employment charges in Iran.
"Since the Iranian government does not allow foreign domestic helpers, no permit will be issued, thus OFWs will end up as illegal workers [if they go there]," the DFA said.
Foreign nationals who work illegally in Iran will be fined IR 3,000,000.00 or equivalent to US$30.00, for each day of overstay in the country.
Unwitting Filipinos often enter via Dubai using tourist visas believing that their work permits will be processed upon their arrival in Iran.
There are around 1,500 Filipinos in Tehran, consisting mostly of spouses and children of Iranians.
Meanwhile, Philippine authorities have advised Filipinos based there to take precautionary measures at home and at work amid the continued tension over alleged electoral fraud. [See: Take safety precautions, RP tells Pinoys in Iran]
The DFA reiterated that the Philippine Embassy in Tehran is in touch with Filipinos in the area and is prepared to activate and carry out its contingency plan, "if needed." - Joseph Holandes Ubalde, GMANews.TV
KSA needs immigrants' fingerprints, photos
MANILA, Philippines - To thwart terrorism, identity theft, and perhaps even blacklisting runaway workers, Saudi Arabia (KSA) will begin taking photographs and fingerprints of visa applicants to the oil-rich kingdom.
Foreign Undersecretary Prince Khaled bin Saud said authorized biometrics would receive visa applications on behalf of Saudi embassies and missions.
"This important initiative has been taken to strengthen the Kingdom's security and improve services to visa applicants," he said in an article on government-run Saudi Press Agency.
The new immigration policy does not include relatives of iqama holders unless they are workers themselves. An iqama is an official identity card saying that the holder is a resident of Saudi Arabia. [See: Use KSA's iqama online inquiry service, OFWs urged]
Prince Khaled has not announced the date for the start of the new immigration process, but Victor Fernandez Jr., president of the Philippine Association of Service Exporters, Inc. (PASEI) said they have been given hints that it would begin next month.
What is certain is that service centers, which will be under the supervision of the Ministry and Saudi missions abroad, will provide "quick, quality service at reasonable charges."
The Department of Foreign Affairs said Saudi Arabia has already begun fingerprinting and taking digital full-face photos of foreigners coming to the Kingdom on visit, Umrah and work visas.
Foreign passengers are in long queues at airports and other entry points to have their fingerprints and full-face photos taken.
The new biometric system is expected to get rid of the long queues and delays at airports during fingerprinting procedure.
But Welfare Officer Romualdo Exmundo of the Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah earlier raised concern that the new policy makes runaway workers more vulnerable to deportation and blacklisting.
A GMANews.TV source in Saudi Arabia explained that under the new policy, employers could no longer ask immigration officials to take a foreign employee’s name out of the blacklist. The SR2,000 fine for blacklist removal is also not applicable. [See: Blacklist abusive employers, not runaway Pinoys in KSA – group]
Maj. Gen. Salim Al-Belaihed, director-general of the Passport Department, urged all foreign workers to get their biometric data registered soonest so they can avoid snags in getting their re-entry visas stamped on time.
"The fingerprinting process will take no more than five minutes. You should make sure that you do not have any decoration (such as henna), or any cuts or other markings on your fingertips before having your fingerprints taken," the DFA article quoted one security source as saying.
One should also make sure that there are no cuts or bruises on his/her face.
At present, there are three fingerprinting centers in Jeddah.
These centers are in Dalah Street in Rehab District, Saudi Oger Company in the Corniche District and Abruq Al-Raghama District. Each center can serve 2,000 people everyday.
The fingerprinting centers work in two shifts, the first is from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and the second is from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Also, there are mobile fingerprinting centers that the Passport Department sends to hospitals and large companies that have over 600 foreign workers. - with Joseph Holandes Ubalde, GMANews.TV
Foreign Undersecretary Prince Khaled bin Saud said authorized biometrics would receive visa applications on behalf of Saudi embassies and missions.
"This important initiative has been taken to strengthen the Kingdom's security and improve services to visa applicants," he said in an article on government-run Saudi Press Agency.
The new immigration policy does not include relatives of iqama holders unless they are workers themselves. An iqama is an official identity card saying that the holder is a resident of Saudi Arabia. [See: Use KSA's iqama online inquiry service, OFWs urged]
Prince Khaled has not announced the date for the start of the new immigration process, but Victor Fernandez Jr., president of the Philippine Association of Service Exporters, Inc. (PASEI) said they have been given hints that it would begin next month.
What is certain is that service centers, which will be under the supervision of the Ministry and Saudi missions abroad, will provide "quick, quality service at reasonable charges."
The Department of Foreign Affairs said Saudi Arabia has already begun fingerprinting and taking digital full-face photos of foreigners coming to the Kingdom on visit, Umrah and work visas.
Foreign passengers are in long queues at airports and other entry points to have their fingerprints and full-face photos taken.
The new biometric system is expected to get rid of the long queues and delays at airports during fingerprinting procedure.
But Welfare Officer Romualdo Exmundo of the Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah earlier raised concern that the new policy makes runaway workers more vulnerable to deportation and blacklisting.
A GMANews.TV source in Saudi Arabia explained that under the new policy, employers could no longer ask immigration officials to take a foreign employee’s name out of the blacklist. The SR2,000 fine for blacklist removal is also not applicable. [See: Blacklist abusive employers, not runaway Pinoys in KSA – group]
Maj. Gen. Salim Al-Belaihed, director-general of the Passport Department, urged all foreign workers to get their biometric data registered soonest so they can avoid snags in getting their re-entry visas stamped on time.
"The fingerprinting process will take no more than five minutes. You should make sure that you do not have any decoration (such as henna), or any cuts or other markings on your fingertips before having your fingerprints taken," the DFA article quoted one security source as saying.
One should also make sure that there are no cuts or bruises on his/her face.
At present, there are three fingerprinting centers in Jeddah.
These centers are in Dalah Street in Rehab District, Saudi Oger Company in the Corniche District and Abruq Al-Raghama District. Each center can serve 2,000 people everyday.
The fingerprinting centers work in two shifts, the first is from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and the second is from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Also, there are mobile fingerprinting centers that the Passport Department sends to hospitals and large companies that have over 600 foreign workers. - with Joseph Holandes Ubalde, GMANews.TV
Monday, July 6, 2009
Russians study RP's labor export strategies
MANILA, Philippines - With almost ten percent of the Filipino population working or living abroad, even the Russians are looking up to the Philippines as the perfect migration model.
A 14-person Russian delegation sponsored by the World Bank went on a three-day visit to the Philippines this week to study the country’s migration strategies.
"We were picked as one of the model countries because we have a well-established migration management program. This has been our long-time activity," Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) chief Jennifer Manalili told GMANews.TV.
Manalili said the Russians toured the POEA premises, looked at the licensing and processing centers, and asked them a lot of questions.
“For them it was more like an explanatory thing because they wanted to know exactly how we do it," she said.
Aside from the POEA, the Russian delegation also went to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Department of Labor and Employment, Overseas Workers Welfare Association (OWWA), and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda).
Citing the visit as a “very interesting exchange," the POEA chief said she asked the World Bank to provide opportunities for the Philippines to learn the migration processes of other countries through such an exchange.
“It was a learning experience, that’s why I told the World Bank representatives to also consider us," said Manalili.
From stop-gap measure to permanent policy
Migrant workers started going to other countries in the 1970s, when then-Labor Secretary Blas Ople hatched the idea of deploying Filipino workers to the Middle East as a temporary solution to the unemployment problem in the country.
But thirty years later, what was supposed to be a stop-gap measure against unemployment has become a permanent government policy.
Government agencies like the POEA, OWWA and the DFA Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs were set up to aid overseas Filipino workers (OFW).
Last December, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo issued Administrative Order 247 that transformed the POEA's regulatory functions into “full-blast" marketing efforts.
She also instructed Tesda to “intensify its skills retraining and skills upgrading program" to complement the labor marketing efforts of the POEA.
Price to pay
The International Labor Organization and the International Organization on Migration have commended the Philippines for its handling of workers' migration.[See: RP's migration program seen as model - DoLE exec]
But migrant and militant groups have criticized the Philippine government for allegedly making its citizens pay for its policy of sending more and more Filipino workers abroad in order to keep the economy afloat.
Fr. Fabio Baggio of the Scalabrini Migration Center has previously said the Philippine government’s enthusiasm for the increased deployment of more highly skilled and professional migrants should be reviewed in the light of the political consequences of the brain drain and “professional exodus."
In addition, he said the government’s reliance on migrants’ remittances has progressively taken the appearance of economic dependence.
“At the macroeconomic level, for the last years the surge in remittances has been boosting the Philippine peso, easing the foreign debt burden and taming national inflation," he said.
In 2008, OFWs remitted about US$16.43 billion or almost P800 billion.
The POEA said 1,236,013 Filipino workers were deployed abroad last year, representing a 14.7 percent increase from 2007.
The Philippines has become one of the countries with the biggest number of migrant workers. The others are India, Mexico, Morocco, Pakistan, Egypt, Turkey, Lebanon, Bangladesh, Jordan and Sri Lanka. - GMANews.TV
A 14-person Russian delegation sponsored by the World Bank went on a three-day visit to the Philippines this week to study the country’s migration strategies.
"We were picked as one of the model countries because we have a well-established migration management program. This has been our long-time activity," Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) chief Jennifer Manalili told GMANews.TV.
Manalili said the Russians toured the POEA premises, looked at the licensing and processing centers, and asked them a lot of questions.
“For them it was more like an explanatory thing because they wanted to know exactly how we do it," she said.
Aside from the POEA, the Russian delegation also went to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Department of Labor and Employment, Overseas Workers Welfare Association (OWWA), and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda).
Citing the visit as a “very interesting exchange," the POEA chief said she asked the World Bank to provide opportunities for the Philippines to learn the migration processes of other countries through such an exchange.
“It was a learning experience, that’s why I told the World Bank representatives to also consider us," said Manalili.
From stop-gap measure to permanent policy
Migrant workers started going to other countries in the 1970s, when then-Labor Secretary Blas Ople hatched the idea of deploying Filipino workers to the Middle East as a temporary solution to the unemployment problem in the country.
But thirty years later, what was supposed to be a stop-gap measure against unemployment has become a permanent government policy.
Government agencies like the POEA, OWWA and the DFA Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs were set up to aid overseas Filipino workers (OFW).
Last December, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo issued Administrative Order 247 that transformed the POEA's regulatory functions into “full-blast" marketing efforts.
She also instructed Tesda to “intensify its skills retraining and skills upgrading program" to complement the labor marketing efforts of the POEA.
Price to pay
The International Labor Organization and the International Organization on Migration have commended the Philippines for its handling of workers' migration.[See: RP's migration program seen as model - DoLE exec]
But migrant and militant groups have criticized the Philippine government for allegedly making its citizens pay for its policy of sending more and more Filipino workers abroad in order to keep the economy afloat.
Fr. Fabio Baggio of the Scalabrini Migration Center has previously said the Philippine government’s enthusiasm for the increased deployment of more highly skilled and professional migrants should be reviewed in the light of the political consequences of the brain drain and “professional exodus."
In addition, he said the government’s reliance on migrants’ remittances has progressively taken the appearance of economic dependence.
“At the macroeconomic level, for the last years the surge in remittances has been boosting the Philippine peso, easing the foreign debt burden and taming national inflation," he said.
In 2008, OFWs remitted about US$16.43 billion or almost P800 billion.
The POEA said 1,236,013 Filipino workers were deployed abroad last year, representing a 14.7 percent increase from 2007.
The Philippines has become one of the countries with the biggest number of migrant workers. The others are India, Mexico, Morocco, Pakistan, Egypt, Turkey, Lebanon, Bangladesh, Jordan and Sri Lanka. - GMANews.TV
More OFWs had work contracts in 2008 - study
RUBY ANNE M. RUBIO, GMANews.TV
MANILA, Philippines - More Filipinos working abroad have secured employment contracts last year compared to the previous year, the National Statistics Office (NSO) said, citing the 2008 Survey on Overseas Filipinos.
Ninety-four percent of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) have employment agreements during the second to third quarter of 2008, 18.75 percent higher than those who have had the same privilege in 2007.
Of the total two million Filipinos working abroad last year, 51.7 percent were male while 48.3 percent were female, the same survey said.
More than a quarter of the OFWs were in age group 25 to 29 years.
"Female OFWs were generally younger compared to male OFWs. Of the total number of female OFWs, 28.8 percent belonged to age group 25 to 29 years and 20.3 percent were in age group 30 to 34 years. Meanwhile, male OFWs were almost evenly distributed among the age groups 25 to 29, 30 to 34 and 45 and over," the data read.
One out of five OFWs worked in Saudi Arabia while one in every seven OFWs worked in United Arab Emirates.
But OFWs working in Asia, comprising 78.2 percent, sent the biggest cash remittance of P69.9 billion pesos.
Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, Qatar and Taiwan were also "popular destinations" of OFWs. Those who worked in Europe comprised 9.4 percent of the total OFW population while those who worked in North and South America accounted for 8.4 percent.
About one-third were laborers and unskilled workers, which include domestic helpers, cleaners, and manufacturing laborers.
Workers employed in trades and related enterprises comprised 15.7 percent while those who worked in service jobs and shop and market sales reached 14.3 percent. Plant and machine operators and assemblers were 13 percent of the total.
Those from the National Capital Region and Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal at Quezon) comprise half of the country's OFWs, who contributed 29 percent more during the period at P141.9 billion during the period.
Among occupation groups, OFWs employed as laborers or unskilled workers posted the biggest cash remittance of P19.5 billion. - GMANews.TV
MANILA, Philippines - More Filipinos working abroad have secured employment contracts last year compared to the previous year, the National Statistics Office (NSO) said, citing the 2008 Survey on Overseas Filipinos.
Ninety-four percent of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) have employment agreements during the second to third quarter of 2008, 18.75 percent higher than those who have had the same privilege in 2007.
Of the total two million Filipinos working abroad last year, 51.7 percent were male while 48.3 percent were female, the same survey said.
More than a quarter of the OFWs were in age group 25 to 29 years.
"Female OFWs were generally younger compared to male OFWs. Of the total number of female OFWs, 28.8 percent belonged to age group 25 to 29 years and 20.3 percent were in age group 30 to 34 years. Meanwhile, male OFWs were almost evenly distributed among the age groups 25 to 29, 30 to 34 and 45 and over," the data read.
One out of five OFWs worked in Saudi Arabia while one in every seven OFWs worked in United Arab Emirates.
But OFWs working in Asia, comprising 78.2 percent, sent the biggest cash remittance of P69.9 billion pesos.
Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, Qatar and Taiwan were also "popular destinations" of OFWs. Those who worked in Europe comprised 9.4 percent of the total OFW population while those who worked in North and South America accounted for 8.4 percent.
About one-third were laborers and unskilled workers, which include domestic helpers, cleaners, and manufacturing laborers.
Workers employed in trades and related enterprises comprised 15.7 percent while those who worked in service jobs and shop and market sales reached 14.3 percent. Plant and machine operators and assemblers were 13 percent of the total.
Those from the National Capital Region and Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal at Quezon) comprise half of the country's OFWs, who contributed 29 percent more during the period at P141.9 billion during the period.
Among occupation groups, OFWs employed as laborers or unskilled workers posted the biggest cash remittance of P19.5 billion. - GMANews.TV
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