Migrante: Arroyo's 2M overseas job target detrimental to OFWs' interests
President Arroyo’s administration will be held accountable for targeting to deploy two million Filipino workers abroad in the light of the global economic crisis.
"We will hold the Arroyo administration fully accountable for being hell-bent in exporting the most number of Filipinos abroad amidst the worsening global crisis," said Garry Martinez, Migrante International chairman.
Migrante said the series of government announcement of job openings abroad is in line with Mrs. Arroyo’s 2007 state-of-the-nation-address when she pledged to deploy two million overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) before her term ends in 2010.
The group said overseas employment is detrimental to the interest of Filipino workers.
"Time and again, we say that labor exportation is neither a tool for development nor an answer to the present crisis. We agree with CBCP (Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines) president Angel Lagdameo when he lamented the breakup of Filipino families because of parents working overseas," said Martinez.
"Contrary to the claims of President Arroyo, the Middle East region remains to be the worst destination for OFWs in terms of labor rights protection, especially now that it is also being hit hard by the global crisis," said Martinez.
The group also warned OFWs to anticipate more retrenchment, lower wages and worse working conditions abroad this year.
Migrante said labor complaints in the Ministry of Labor in Dubai have tripled since November. The group said most of the cases are of illegal termination and non-payment of salaries.
The group alleged that the situation is similar in Saudi Arabia, the top destination country of OFWs in Middle East.
"It is gibberish when the Arroyo administration said that Middle East countries remain a haven for overseas employment just to cover up its inutility in addressing the crisis. Quite the opposite, the Ittefaq Steel Products Factory, the second largest steel manufacturer in Saudi Arabia, had announced that it would send 80 percent of its 2,145 workers on leave without salary for three months beginning Jan. 1, 2009," Martinez said.
In the United Arab Emirates, the economic crisis has affected the real estate and reconstruction industry.
Migrante cited that multinational companies like General Electric, IBM and Jeffries International are retrenching their workforce or are totally pulling out operations from the gulf country.
The group urged the government to concentrate on protecting the rights and welfare of Filipino migrants instead of focusing mainly on its aggressive marketing of OFWs abroad.
"In this time of crisis the main problem of OFWs is the lack of access to legal protection. Migrant workers are the first one to be hit by this crisis and, more often than not, they don't have anyone to turn to in the event of labor disputes. It is unfortunate that our government remains callous on this problem," Martinez said.
abs-cbnNEWS
"We will hold the Arroyo administration fully accountable for being hell-bent in exporting the most number of Filipinos abroad amidst the worsening global crisis," said Garry Martinez, Migrante International chairman.
Migrante said the series of government announcement of job openings abroad is in line with Mrs. Arroyo’s 2007 state-of-the-nation-address when she pledged to deploy two million overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) before her term ends in 2010.
The group said overseas employment is detrimental to the interest of Filipino workers.
"Time and again, we say that labor exportation is neither a tool for development nor an answer to the present crisis. We agree with CBCP (Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines) president Angel Lagdameo when he lamented the breakup of Filipino families because of parents working overseas," said Martinez.
"Contrary to the claims of President Arroyo, the Middle East region remains to be the worst destination for OFWs in terms of labor rights protection, especially now that it is also being hit hard by the global crisis," said Martinez.
The group also warned OFWs to anticipate more retrenchment, lower wages and worse working conditions abroad this year.
Migrante said labor complaints in the Ministry of Labor in Dubai have tripled since November. The group said most of the cases are of illegal termination and non-payment of salaries.
The group alleged that the situation is similar in Saudi Arabia, the top destination country of OFWs in Middle East.
"It is gibberish when the Arroyo administration said that Middle East countries remain a haven for overseas employment just to cover up its inutility in addressing the crisis. Quite the opposite, the Ittefaq Steel Products Factory, the second largest steel manufacturer in Saudi Arabia, had announced that it would send 80 percent of its 2,145 workers on leave without salary for three months beginning Jan. 1, 2009," Martinez said.
In the United Arab Emirates, the economic crisis has affected the real estate and reconstruction industry.
Migrante cited that multinational companies like General Electric, IBM and Jeffries International are retrenching their workforce or are totally pulling out operations from the gulf country.
The group urged the government to concentrate on protecting the rights and welfare of Filipino migrants instead of focusing mainly on its aggressive marketing of OFWs abroad.
"In this time of crisis the main problem of OFWs is the lack of access to legal protection. Migrant workers are the first one to be hit by this crisis and, more often than not, they don't have anyone to turn to in the event of labor disputes. It is unfortunate that our government remains callous on this problem," Martinez said.
abs-cbnNEWS
Comments