RP to help retrenched Filipinos in Namibia

MANILA, Philippines – The government will help the Filipino workers retrenched by a Malaysian-owned textile company in Namibia, acting Labor Secretary Marianito Roque assured on Monday.

Roque, who concurrently serves as administrator of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, said members of his staff had confirmed 178 Filipinos terminated by Ramatex Textiles Namibia, not 250 as earlier reported.

“Nag-utos na tayo na makipag-coordinate sa pinakamalapit na embassy sa Namibia..the Philippines doesn’t have embassy there.. para malaman natin ang tulong na kailangan nila," said Roque. “Hindi sila pababayaan ng gobyerno natin," he assured.

“Our initial information so far is that, Ramatex was banned by POEA (Philippine Overseas Employment Administration) last year because of some violations. And so far 178 Filipinos, not 250, were confirmed working in Ramatex," he said. The retrenched workers were recruited in 2006, according to Roque.

However, Philippine Ambassador to South Africa Virgilio A. Reyes Jr, reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs that “there will be 250 Filipino nationals working in Namibia who will eventually be repatriated to the Philippines due to sudden notice of closure by their employer, Flamingo Garments/ Tamatex textile company."

Reyes said the permanent secretary of the Namibian Ministry of Labor has assured support for the workers and that they would not be repatriated, particularly the 20 Filipinos who filed a complaint last year before the Namibian labor court against Ramatex, until the case is decided.

Most of the workers have refused the company's offer to be repatriated between March 15 and 18 without getting their severance pay.

Ramatex Textile Namibia informed the embassy in Pretoria through a letter about the company’s closure on March 6, stating "there is no magic solution to guarantee future success to the business operation."

The textile manufacturing plant, employed more than 3,000 workers, 12 percent of whom were Asians, mostly Filipinos and Chinese.

Roque said Ramatex employed up to 1,000 Filipinos in 2002 but the number dwindled due to labor problems and the closure of its subsidiaries in the southern African country.

Ambassador Reyes said 20 Filipinos accused Ramatex last year of illegal termination, non-payment of accrued leave of absence and tax refund.

He said he led a diplomatic and consular mission to Namibia on Feb 13 and 14 to meet with Ramatex management officers and the complaints to thresh out the problems and find a possible amicable solution.

The OFWs said that while Namibian labor law grants 24 days vacation leave per year, their contract only gave them seven days.

Reyes also reported to the DFA that he met with lawyers hired by the OFWs after an additional 160 Filipino workers joined the 40 complainants to file for their claims on preferred exit packages prior to their return to the Philippines.

He said the Namibian Labor Commissioner has directed the company to discharge its legal obligations to all local employees and foreigners alike.

Reyes said that an additional 40 Filipinos occupying management positions in the company requested assistance for their repatriation, since they are not included among the complainants and have accepted the company's offer of exit package of one month pay, current leave pay and repatriation ticket.

The company management, according to Reyes, seemed to be reluctant to give further concessions.

A majority of the Filipino workers have opted to remain in the meantime in Namibia and joined Namibian Food and Allied Workers Union (NFAU) which is representing the 3,000 Namibian workers in negotiating their severance pay under Namibian labor law.

Reyes said the Embassy would continue monitoring the case and is in constant coordination with the leaders of the Filipino group, the lawyers and concerned Namibian authorities.

Ramatex also operates in several Asian countries, as well as in South Africa and Mauritius. - Fidel Jimenez, GMANews.TV

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