KAKAMMPI News

By GMA News The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said it has repatriated 350 distressed Filipinos from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The repatriates arrived in the country on Friday, DFA Acting Undersecretary for Migrant Workers' Affairs Eduardo Jose de Vega said. Among those repatriated were senior citizens, expectant women, and children, including six infants. "As the festive season draws near, your DFA will work tirelessly to bring back to our country our kababayans so that they may partake in the joy of being with their family," De Vega said in a statement. advertisement "Seeing their smiles upon reaching our motherland is the inspiration that drives us to exert our utmost in serving our new heroes. Nandito kami para sa inyo (We are here for you),” he added. — Richa Noriega/VBL, GMA News

By GMA News Overseas Filipino workers departing the country for jobs abroad need not wear personal protective equipment or PPEs, Migrant Workers Secretary Susan Ople and the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) said. Ople, who is in the US as part of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s delegation to the United Nations General Assembly, on Friday said the wearing of PPEs is not sanctioned by the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and POEA. "I agree with the sentiments of Senator Pia Cayetano and other legislators that the PPE requirement for departing OFWs is outdated, misguided and oppressive. I regret not having issued this order much earlier to spare our OFWs the discomfort of going to the airport in full PPE attire," Ople said. The POEA thus issued Advisory No. 62 on Friday against requirements of certain agencies for OFWs to wear full PPEs upon departure. It said it has not issued nor implemented rules and guidelines requiring OFWs to wear PPEs,

Thousands of balikbayan boxes from the Middle East have been abandoned by foreign courier services at the Bureau of Customs (BOC), with the BOC and local delivery services working to get them to their intended recipients. advertisement In JP Soriano’s “24 Oras” report on Thursday, Jasmine Velarde Espeleta, an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) in Abu Dhabi, said she used a new delivery business in Abu Dhabi to send her packages to her family in Leyte. Espeleta said the company promised to deliver the packages in two months. However, they ended up abandoned at the BOC. She said the company also did not pay for the processing at Customs and delivery of the packages once they arrived in the Philippines. “Matagal ka mag-ipon, pinaghirapan mong ipunan. Pagod, puyat, pawis mo. Kasi kailangan mong humanap ng pera bago ka makabili non,” she added. Both the BOC and the Door-to-Door Consolidators Association of the Philippines have begun delivering the boxes to their intended recipients, despi

By GMA News The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) is offering job opportunities and legal assistance to victims of illegal recruitment who still want to work abroad. advertisement According to a report by Lei Alviz on "24 Oras", over 700 job applicants have benefitted from the job fair hosted by DMW and participated in by licensed recruitment agencies. Many job seekers at the fair were victims of illegal recruiters who have been arrested by the PNP, the local government units, and the DMW. There were job orders for carpenters, housekeepers, kitchen and restaurant workers, and hairdressers in New Zealand, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Japan. The DMW also offered free legal assistance as they warned OFWs to be cautious of illegal job offers to prevent scams and human trafficking cases. "'Wag kakagat sa mga offer na mayroong libreng plane ticket at minsan pa bibigyan ng pocket money," DMW Undersecretary Hans Leo. J. Cacdac said. "Sa konting pera na matata

By ANNA FELICIA BAJO, GMA News Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Susan Ople on Tuesday directed the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) to extend assistance to overseas Filipino Workers in Japan who were affected by Typhoon Nanmadol. advertisement Nanmadol forced at least four million residents to evacuate from their shelters. Heavy rains and strong winds hit Japan's southern island, with nearly 98,000 households in Kagoshima, Kumamoto, Nagasak, and Miyazaki already without power. Aside from OWWA, Ople also instructed the Philippine Overseas Labor Offices (POLOs) to continue monitoring the situation of OFWs and be ready to provide aid when necessary. Citing information from POLO-Osaka, the DMW said some 13,904 OFWs have been accounted for and are unharmed and safe. Of the total number, 5,368 are in Fukuoka, 660 in Saga, 1,001 in Nagasaki, 2,520 in Kumamoto, 1,607 in Oita, 786 in Miyazaki, and 1,962 in Kagoshima. POLO-Osaka is also in contact with most e

Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Susan "Toots" Ople underscored Tuesday the need for more research and published articles about the impact of climate change on labor migration around the world. advertisement Ople mentioned this during her bilateral talks with International Organization on Migration (IOM) director general Antonio Vitorino in New York City. Ople is part of the Philippine delegation in President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s official trip to the United States. “The Philippines is sadly very familiar with the effects of climate change and how it results in the displacement of people,” Ople said in a statement. “We are also aware of the need to enhance multi-sectoral, multi-agency, and multi-country partnerships to mitigate the negative effects of climate change on migrant workers and communities,” she added. For his part, Vitorino said the IOM is expected to tackle the need to support countries, which are more vulnerable to the

LONDON — Huge crowds built in central London overnight and from early morning on Monday to secure a spot to watch the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey. As dawn broke over the River Thames, a steady stream of well-wishers streamed out of Embankment underground station headed for Parliament Square. But many were already there, camping in sleeping bags behind the metal barriers along the Whitehall government district, where the funeral procession will pass. "It's part of history," said Bethany Beardmore, 26, an accountant whose brother is a Grenadier Guard and part of the ceremonies. "Not in my lifetime is there going to be another queen." Beardmore arrived at 9:00 p.m. on Sunday but, fueled by too much sugar and caffeine, found it impossible to sleep in the cold. "Everyone was chatting," she said, as sporadic applause from the good-natured crowd broke out when a stream of police and military personnel passed. Former soldie

Rattled Taiwan hit by more aftershocks TAIPEI — Aftershocks struck southeastern Taiwan on Monday, including a 5.5-magnitude earthquake that was felt in the capital Taipei, a day after a more powerful tremor killed one person and injured around 150 others. The latest quake hit around 10 a.m., 66 kilometers south-southwest of the coastal city of Hualien at a depth of 13 kilometers, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said. Taiwan's central weather bureau put the magnitude at 5.9. Rural and sparsely populated southeastern Taiwan has been rattled by a series of jolts since Saturday. The most powerful, a 6.9-magnitude quake, struck on Sunday afternoon, tearing up roads and bringing down a handful of houses in the town of Yuli where at least one person was killed. Four others were rescued from a collapsed building, while authorities said a total of 146 suffered injuries. Taiwan is regularly hit by quakes and most cause minimal damage but the island also has a long hi

Ukraine official says '450 graves' found near recaptured Izyum Agence France-Presse Posted at Sep 16 2022 05:03 PM KYIV — About 450 graves were counted at one burial site near the eastern Ukraine city of Izyum which was recently recaptured by Kyiv's forces, a senior presidential aide said Friday. "Four hundred and fifty graves... This is just one of the mass burial sites discovered near Izyum. In the occupied territories, rampant terror, violence, torture and mass murders have been reigning for months," Mykhaylo Podolyak said. He published a photo on social media showing rows of wooden crosses and recently dug mounds in a wooded area, along with the claim. The statement comes after Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an evening address to the nation that a "mass grave" had been discovered near Izyum. But he did not give details about the number of bodies that had been discovered or any indication whether they were civilians or military pe

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Sunday (Monday, PHL time) met with the Filipino community in New Jersey, USA, and urged them to support tourism and invest in the country. Marcos addressed the crowd of Filipinos coming not only from New Jersey but also New York and Canada gathered at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, according to a report by Ivan Mayrina on GMA News' Unang Balita. In his speech, Marcos acknowledged overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) for their sacrifices and contribution to economic recovery. “Kahit nasa malayo kami ay pinapanood namin kayo, pumuputok po ang puso namin ‘pag nakita namin ang inyong ginagawa na itinataas at pinapatingkad ang pangalan ng Pilipinas sa buong mundo,” he said. (We are watching all of you from afar and our hearts are overjoyed when we see what you do promote the Philippines to the whole world.) Marcos also thanked Filipinos in the US as their remittances account for 40% of the more than $3.4 billion total remit

The Philippine Embassy in Italy on Saturday advised Filipinos of flooding in the central region of Marche. In a Facebook post, the embassy also advised Filipinos in the affected and other nearby areas to continuously monitor the news. "Local authorities are continuously monitoring the situation," it said. In case of emergency, the Embassy said Filipinos should coordinate with local authorities and immediately contact any of the following: Philippine Embassy in Rome emergency hotline: (+39) 334 658 2118; and Philippine Consulate General in Florence: (+39) 055 4628848. Other Stories

The Philippine Embassy in Israel advised Filipinos to avoid or postpone going to the West Bank and other areas until September 27 for their safety. Filipinos were advised to stay clear of these places: West Bank (Bethlehem, Jericho, Hebron, etc.) Jerusalem Temple Mount Damascus Gate Herod's Gate Al Wad Road Musrara Road Areas around East Jerusalem Golan Heights Areas near the border of Lebanon and Gaza "Maging maingat at magpagmatyag sa paligid," the embassy said in an advisory issued on September 15. The embassy also advised Filipinos not to take photos or videos or go near an ongoing clash or act of violence. Instead, Filipinos were urged to hide or immediately leave the area. Pinoys were also advised to avoid crowded areas, be careful when taking public transportation, and not to approach Israeli security forces deployed in sensitive areas. Filipinos were also told to follow the directives of the Israeli security forces and the Home Front Command. For emergen

By SHERYLIN UNTALAN, GMA News Published September 17, 2022 5:06pm Dr. Victor Abola, Professor and Director of the Strategic Business Economics Program at the University of Asia & The Pacific (UA&P), said that over 70% of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) would benefit from a weakened peso versus the US dollar as this would increase the value of remittances. advertisement "Ang pag-iisip ng karamihan, kapag humina ang piso kontra dolyar ay hihina ang ekonomiya pero sa atin hindi ganun dahil mayroon tayong OFW, BPO," Abola told Super Radyo DZBB on Saturday. “Ang ating estimate, babalik ng below 57 pesos ang halaga ng piso kontra dolyar, mga kalagitnaan October dahil sa remittance ng mga OFW,” he added. However, while this may be a great help to the OFWs, its effects might be negligible due to the increased prices of goods in the country. Abola thus advised that there should also be a temporary measure to help the poorest, who are most likely to be affected by the

By JOVILAND RITA, GMA News The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) on Friday said around 800 overseas Filipino workers were stranded in a U.S. military base in Diego Garcia Island in the Indian Ocean due to a labor dispute. advertisement DMW Secretary Susan “Toots” Ople said Kellogg Brown & Root Inc. (KBR), a defense contractor of the U.S. Navy, allegedly told OFWs to just resign if they leave for a vacation. “I think mga 800 [OFWs ang stranded]. Marami d'yan kasi KBR ang biggest defense contractor doon sa Diego Garcia (I think around 800 OFWs were stranded. Many of them are from KBR because it is the biggest contractor there),” she said in a radio interview. Ople said she was able to talk to concerned OFWs virtually before she went to Singapore for the state visit of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. early this month. She added the DMW already called out the KBR and pointed out that vacation leave is part of the contract and should be provided without conditio

NICOSIA, Cyprus — A majority of World Cup fans support FIFA compensating migrant workers for rights abuses during preparations for the 2022 tournament in Qatar, a poll commissioned by Amnesty International and released on Thursday showed. advertisement Qatar has repeatedly faced criticism over conditions for migrant workers, but insists it has made major improvements in recent years. The YouGov poll surveyed more than 17,000 adults from 15 countries—mostly in Europe, but also the United States, Mexico, Argentina, Morocco and Kenya, Amnesty said in a statement. Seventy-three percent of respondents said they "strongly support" or "tend to support" football's governing body using some of its 2022 World Cup revenues to compensate migrant workers, according to the figures. Out of those who said they were likely to watch at least one game, 84 percent backed the proposal."There is still time for FIFA to do the right thing," Amnesty's Steve Cockburn s

By JAMIL SANTOS, GMA News Published September 15, 2022 2:21pm Some 500 overseas Filipino workers staying at shelters in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are seeking assistance and repatriation amid bilateral talks between the Philippines and the said country, the Department of Migrant Workers said Thursday. advertisement "In our shelters, there are about 500 OFWs kingdom-wide or in the three areas where we are present, that need assistance, mostly household service," DMW Undersecretary Hans Leo Cacdac said in a mix of English and Filipino at a public briefing. "This is the biggest source of worry for Secretary Toots (Susan Ople). She visited all shelters and talked to the OFWs there," Cacdac added. Ople and other DMW officials visited Saudi Arabia recently and reached an agreement with the government there to undertake measures “to facilitate the decent and productive employment of OFWs and ensure the protection of their rights." "Ang isa sa mga tinake up

Walk-in visa applicants spent the night in a queue outside the Korean Embassy in the Philippines, according to Darlene Cay's report on Unang Balita on Wednesday. advertisement The applicants were all hoping to be accommodated by the embassy before the cutoff period. "Ako sobrang shock din ako kasi I don't think it's fair din na bakit ganito kadami. I think there is a better system for this, if ever," said Christine Emano, one of the applicant. Citing security guards on duty, the report said only 100 applicants will be accommodated for the day. On Facebook, the embassy said travelers would be required to first make an appointment to visit and should receive a confirmation before personally applying for a visa onsite. “Without confirmation of visa appointment made through the online system, your visit to the Embassy will be denied,” the post read. “[Starting] Thursday, 15 September 2022 onwards, the Embassy will not accept walk-in visits for visa applications

By JAMIL SANTOS, GMA News After the completion of bilateral discussions with Saudi Arabia, the Philippine government will lift its Saudi deployment ban on November 7, Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Susan Ople said Tuesday. Ople explained that she and other DMW officials reached an agreement with Saudi Minister of Human Resources and Social Development Ahmad Bin Sulaiman Al-Rajhi under which both countries would undertake measures “to facilitate the decent and productive employment of OFWs and ensure the protection of their rights.” "Based on our agreement with Minister Al-Rajhi, we will resume deploying Filipino workers to Saudi Arabia beginning November 7," Ople said in a mix of English and Filipino. advertisement She said the date was chosen so the DMW would have time to prepare for its meetings with Philippine recruitment agencies, strengthen its coordination with the Technical Education And Skills Development Authority (TESDA) in ensuring the deployme

August 12, 2022 The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has closed down an illegal recruitment agency in Ermita, Manila offering non-existent jobs in the Middle East, DMW Secretary Susan “Toots” V. Ople said. Ople said the Anti-Illegal Recruitment Branch (AIRB) of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) padlocked last 29 July 2022 the office of Kharem’s International, an unregistered and unlicensed company posing to hire domestic workers, beauticians, and on-call cleaners for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and other Middle Eastern countries. At the same time, the Secretary said six illegal recruiters from Davao City were apprehended by their victims last August 3 and 4 in two locations in Metro Manila. The suspected illegal recruiters promised non-existent overseas jobs to 235 victims. The recruiters were the subject of a complaint coursed through the radio program “Wantedsa Radyo, Raffy Tulfo in Action.” The complainants were referred to the DMW. “We are serving

August 10, 2022 Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Susan “Toots” V. Ople today announced the appointment of key DMW officials, describing them as “a mix of seasoned government officials and new faces who share a commitment to serve our Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).” “Together, we will make the DMW a secure home for our OFWs and their families,” Ople said. Ople said the senior DMW officials include Atty. Bernard P. Olalia and Atty. Hans Leo J. Cacdac, who served as administrators of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), respectively. Olalia will assume his new post as Undersecretary for Licensing and Adjudication Services. He will remain as Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the POEA until such time that the DMW is deemed fully constituted upon the approval of its 2023 budget. Olalia has been with DoLE and the POEA for more than five (5) years. Cacdac, who has been in the Department of Labor and Empl

August 3, 2022 The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) welcomed home and extended assistance to 289 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from Kuwait, including those who have been stranded for several months, Secretary Susan Ople said. The OFWs arrived in Manila at around 8:15pm Tuesday. The OFWs were repatriated with the help of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) aboard Philippine Airlines Flight No. 8764 while the DMW through the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) arranged for their domestic flights and land travel home to their respective provinces. Aside from the DFA and the DMW, other government agencies that were present at the airport to lend a helping hand to the repatriated workers were: Bureau of Quarantine, the Philippine Coast Guard, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and DMW-attached agencies, OWWA and the National Reintegration Center for OFWs (NRCO). “Out of the more than 200 OFWs assisted by the DMW, around 141 were brought t