KAKAMMPI News

by Caroline J. Howard, ANC MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Overseas Employment Agency (POEA) expects a drop in the deployment of physical therapists abroad over the next year. This after the Federation of State Board of Physical Therapy in the United States imposed a one-year ban on applicants from the Philippines, Egypt, Pakistan and India from taking the National Physical Therapy Exam (NPTE), the licensure exam needed to be able to work in the US. The decision comes after the US State Board found evidence that some schools and review centers in the country leaked exam questions. (Read story: Filipino physical therapists banned from taking US tests) Around 800 to 900 physical therapists out of 1,900 graduates who passed the annual licensure exam in the country will not be able to take the licensure exam in the US. "In the first half of 2010, we received the same amount of job orders for the whole of last year 1,480," says Atty. Hans Cacdac, POEA Deputy Administrator fo...

By Mayen Jaymalin, The Philippine Star MANILA, Philippines – Fewer Filipino workers are expected to get employed abroad this year, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) reported on Jan. 28. POEA chief Carlos Cao Jr. said the government foresee as much as a 6% drop in overseas deployment for 2011 with the strict implementation of a new law protecting migrant workers. “Based on initial estimate, we are looking at 5% to 6% reduction in deployment because of our current direction to give emphasis in protection although we are not abandoning effort to deploy workers abroad,” Cao disclosed. “As we give emphasis on protection it is natural for us to be selective and opt for better jobs,” Cao added. Cao noted that under the Aquino administration, the government would promote the deployment of highly skilled workers and discourage employment of household service workers (HSWs) who comprise the bulk of OFWs abroad, but are more vulnerable to abuses. Last year, Cao said the PO...

abs-cbnNEWS.com MANILA, Philippines – Immigration authorities stopped 6 Filipino overseas workers disguised as nuns from leaving the country. Bureau of Immigration (BI) officer-in-charge Ronaldo Ledesma said the women were about to board a Cebu Pacific flight to Hong Kong Thursday night when they were stopped at the departure area of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 (NAIA-3). Ledesma said the OFWs planned to take a connecting flight to Beirut despite a long standing government ban on the deployment of Filipino workers to the said Middle Eastern country. He said the women are victims of illegal recruiters “who will not stop using all tricks and employ every scheme to circumvent our ban on the departure of undocumented OFWs.” In a press statement, the BI said the OFWs were caught after one of them approached the BI counter and was referred by the immigration officer on-duty to his superiors for secondary inspection. While she was being questioned, members of the BI trav...

Pinoys worry after Obama’s State of the Union Address By Henni Espinosa, ABS-CBN North America News Bureau SAN FRANCISCO – With America facing a deficit of $1.48 trillion, some Filipinos in San Francisco know President Obama faces a tough year ahead. A mother of three, Evelyn Gonzales admitted that she stopped watching in the middle of Obama’s State of the Union Address because she was disheartened. She said, “Since last year, nothing has changed.” Education was a major part of Obama’s State of the Union Address, saying America should once again become an international leader in higher education. But Gonzales said America cannot produce more college graduates because the government continues to cut millions of dollars in education funding. At the Canon Kip Senior Center, 80-year-old Felicitas Juridico is worried that healthcare and deficit reductions would affect seniors like her who depend on Medicare and Social Security benefits. She said, “We’re old. We’re sickly. What they’re givi...

By Charles Tabbu, ABS-CBN Middle East News Bureau SAUDI ARABIA - A Filipino overseas worker died after he was electrocuted while wading in the flood that hit Jeddah Wednesday afternoon. Ronilo Roman Malit, 53, had spent almost half his life working in Saudi Arabia. The native of Pampanga worked as a cargo loader for 28 years but lost his life when he rushed back to their cargo warehouse to save items that might get wet from the flood. According to his brother Nomer, Ronilo was driving back to the warehouse Wednesday noon when he was stranded by the flood at the Kandara area. He eventually decided to leave his car and walk instead. His last call to his co-staff was around 11:40 a.m. He informed his colleague that he was walking back to the warehouse to salvage a newly purchased shoes from the Philippines that might get wet from the rising flood water. The next call was from a friend who informed Malit’s colleague that the OFW died because he was electrocuted due to a transformer that g...

By Willard Cheng, ABS-CBN News MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine government expressed concern over the events unfolding in Egypt, particularly for the safety of the more than 6,500 Filipinos living there. “We hope for a peaceful and just resolution to the political unrest currently taking place and a swift return to stability,” a palace statement said Saturday. The government said it is monitoring the situation and assured that the Philippine Embassy in Cairo has contingencies in place and is ready to relocate Filipinos to safer areas if necessary. “As always, the safety of our citizens is the paramount concern and we are doing what we can to anticipate and attend to their needs,” the statement added. Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said in a message on Twitter that President Benigno Aquino III has already instructed the Presidential Management Staff (PMS), and the departments of national defense, foreign affairs, and labor and employment to meet and recommend furth...

abs-cbnNEWS.com MANILA, Philippines (UPDATE) – No Filipinos have been hurt in the riots that broke out against Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, ABS-CBN News Channel reported Saturday. “There are no reports that anyone of them has been hurt during the course of the protest actions that have been taking place,” said Foreign Affairs Spokesman Ed Malaya. Malaya said the Philippine Embassy in Egypt has already advised Filipinos to stay away from ongoing protests. He added that communication remains difficult as Internet connection and telephone services in the area have yet to be restored. “Our Charge d'Affairs there informed the DFA that they have activated a crisis management center at the embassy. We now run a 24-hour shift of duty officers and that he has issued an advisory to community leaders and community members to stay home and for them to stay clear of public places where the protests are taking place,” he said. ‘Bare contingency plans’ Meanwhile, the palace said the embass...