RP embassies, consulates also overcharging OFWs
Philippine embassies and consulates abroad are also reportedly overcharging overseas Filipinos for passport renewal, authentication and other fees, apart from the higher conversion rate for the $25 membership dues to the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration.
An OFW in Seoul, for instance, said he was charged 80,000 won for the $50 renewal of his passport last November.
The equivalent of $50 in Korean won is even less than 50,000, said the OFW who requested anonymity.
“Napakarami pong Pinoy na laging nagpapa-renew sa kanila.Dapat sabihin na lang nila 80,000 won ang bayad para walang problema. Bakit ganito po ang embassy natin, $50 ang bayad at meron naman akong $50. Ang problema raw po wala silang detector kaya ang nangyari pinabayad ako ng 80,000 won, samantalang ang $50 ay almost 50,000 won lang. Sana po sinabi na lang nila na 80,000 won at hindi $50," the OFW said.
The same OFW paid P1, 275 when he left the country in October for the $25 membership fee to the OWWA, plus P100 processing fee to the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration and P900 to the Philippine Health Insurance Corp (Philhealth) coverage, or a total P2, 275.
The OWWA governing board agreed in principle on Monday to use the P41:$1 conversion rate for the $25 membership fee collected from OFWs. OWWA administrator Marianito Roque however said the resolution providing for the reduced peso equivalent of the OWWA dues from P1, 275 to P1, 050 will come out in two to three days yet, and determine the date of implementation.
Last week, POEA agreed with OWWA to reduce the peso equivalent, but only effective January 1, 2008.
The action came after Senate President Manuel Villar Jr. filed a resolution asking the Senate labor committee to investigate the reported overcharging on OFWs by POEA and OWWA.
Villar's call drew a reaction from a group of Filipino migrants in Hong Kong who wanted a broader inquiry on other fees collected by government agencies from OFWs.
For instance, the United Filipinos in Hong Kong (Unifil-Migrante-HK) said the consulate collects excessive charges on OFWs as the group reiterated its call on Villar to investigate the guidelines issued by the POEA, the Omnibus policies of OWWA and other fees government agencies collects from OFWs, including those charged by Philippine embassies and consulates abroad.
"Onerous fees are also collected overseas such as the authentication fee in Hong Kong and the overpriced cost for passport renewal," Balladares said. “These fees also force us to dig deeper into our pockets that further cuts our remittance to our families," she pointed out.
“If we dig in deeper, we can see the greed and hypocrisy of the government and of unscrupulous recruitment agencies. The overcharging of the OWWA membership fee is only the tip of the iceberg," said Dolores Balladares, Unifil chair.
Balladares urged government agencies on Tuesday to check on recruitment agencies that have been overcharging overseas job applicants.
At the same time, she called on placement agencies to keep watch of government offices that are collecting excessive fees from overseas Filipino workers.
According to her, the plan to reduce the conversion rate for the $25 membership fee to the OWWA from the current P51:$1 to P42:$1 may all come to naught in the end.
"OWWA is notorious for its inability to respond to the welfare needs of OFWs and scandals of corruption and mismanagement of fund," she said in a statement.
“With the OWWA Omnibus Policies that further constrict welfare provision to OFWs, make OWWA membership mandatory and tighten the control of the government on the OWWA Fund, any amount that we will pay to the OWWA will definitely not go to our protection," Balladares claimed.
In view of the apparent “overcharging" on OFWs who are already complaining of the effective 20 percent reduction in the value of their remittances, Balladares said Unifil will continue its campaign against government exaction and overcharging of recruiters and present its demands to Congress when called in the investigation process.
"It's high time that these issues are addressed so that a slight relief can be given to OFWs," Balladares said. - GMANews.TV
An OFW in Seoul, for instance, said he was charged 80,000 won for the $50 renewal of his passport last November.
The equivalent of $50 in Korean won is even less than 50,000, said the OFW who requested anonymity.
“Napakarami pong Pinoy na laging nagpapa-renew sa kanila.Dapat sabihin na lang nila 80,000 won ang bayad para walang problema. Bakit ganito po ang embassy natin, $50 ang bayad at meron naman akong $50. Ang problema raw po wala silang detector kaya ang nangyari pinabayad ako ng 80,000 won, samantalang ang $50 ay almost 50,000 won lang. Sana po sinabi na lang nila na 80,000 won at hindi $50," the OFW said.
The same OFW paid P1, 275 when he left the country in October for the $25 membership fee to the OWWA, plus P100 processing fee to the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration and P900 to the Philippine Health Insurance Corp (Philhealth) coverage, or a total P2, 275.
The OWWA governing board agreed in principle on Monday to use the P41:$1 conversion rate for the $25 membership fee collected from OFWs. OWWA administrator Marianito Roque however said the resolution providing for the reduced peso equivalent of the OWWA dues from P1, 275 to P1, 050 will come out in two to three days yet, and determine the date of implementation.
Last week, POEA agreed with OWWA to reduce the peso equivalent, but only effective January 1, 2008.
The action came after Senate President Manuel Villar Jr. filed a resolution asking the Senate labor committee to investigate the reported overcharging on OFWs by POEA and OWWA.
Villar's call drew a reaction from a group of Filipino migrants in Hong Kong who wanted a broader inquiry on other fees collected by government agencies from OFWs.
For instance, the United Filipinos in Hong Kong (Unifil-Migrante-HK) said the consulate collects excessive charges on OFWs as the group reiterated its call on Villar to investigate the guidelines issued by the POEA, the Omnibus policies of OWWA and other fees government agencies collects from OFWs, including those charged by Philippine embassies and consulates abroad.
"Onerous fees are also collected overseas such as the authentication fee in Hong Kong and the overpriced cost for passport renewal," Balladares said. “These fees also force us to dig deeper into our pockets that further cuts our remittance to our families," she pointed out.
“If we dig in deeper, we can see the greed and hypocrisy of the government and of unscrupulous recruitment agencies. The overcharging of the OWWA membership fee is only the tip of the iceberg," said Dolores Balladares, Unifil chair.
Balladares urged government agencies on Tuesday to check on recruitment agencies that have been overcharging overseas job applicants.
At the same time, she called on placement agencies to keep watch of government offices that are collecting excessive fees from overseas Filipino workers.
According to her, the plan to reduce the conversion rate for the $25 membership fee to the OWWA from the current P51:$1 to P42:$1 may all come to naught in the end.
"OWWA is notorious for its inability to respond to the welfare needs of OFWs and scandals of corruption and mismanagement of fund," she said in a statement.
“With the OWWA Omnibus Policies that further constrict welfare provision to OFWs, make OWWA membership mandatory and tighten the control of the government on the OWWA Fund, any amount that we will pay to the OWWA will definitely not go to our protection," Balladares claimed.
In view of the apparent “overcharging" on OFWs who are already complaining of the effective 20 percent reduction in the value of their remittances, Balladares said Unifil will continue its campaign against government exaction and overcharging of recruiters and present its demands to Congress when called in the investigation process.
"It's high time that these issues are addressed so that a slight relief can be given to OFWs," Balladares said. - GMANews.TV
Comments