Brion misinformed on plight of OFWs - group

Labor Secretary Arturo Brion is “misinformed" about the plight of overseas Filipino workers in the Middle East, a migrants group said Thursday.

Migrante-Middle East said that Brion’s claim that the Philippine government was successful in stopping exploitation and in promoting the welfare of OFWs in the ME was untrue.

Brion made the statement in his report at the 4th Ministerial Consultations on Overseas Employment and Contractual Labor for Countries of Origin and Destination in Asia held in Abu Dhabi from January 21 to 22.

“The truth is, the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo administration is deploying skilled workers abroad to become victims of abuses, maltreatment and neglect in an effort to intensify a labor export program that squeezes OFWs of their hard-earned dollar remittances," said John Monterona, Migrante-ME regional coordinator.

“Secretary Brion should look into the logbooks of cases of abuse against OFWs filed in various Philippine embassies and labor and welfare offices before concluding that the Arroyo administration is successful in stopping cruelty and in promoting overseas workers’ welfare," he added.

According to Monterona, Migrante chapters around the ME had received over 15 cases of abuse against OFWs.

The most common types of abuses are contract substitution; overcharging; maltreatment; sexual assault and unfair labor practices such as no overtime work fees and no day off for domestic helpers.

Droidz Ociones, Migrante-Jeddah chairperson, also berated Brion’s statement that host countries should assist Philippine government in the education and training of OFWs to make them fully productive assets.

“Brion must be dreaming when he urged governments and employers from countries hosting migrant workers to share with the Philippines the burden in the training and education of OFWs," Ociones said.

“Host governments and employers in the Middle East would rather invest in training and educating their own labor force, especially Saudi Arabia where the so-called “Saudization" Program is being implemented," he added.

Middle Eastern countries, especially the members of the Gulf Coordination Council such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Bahrain, are implementing a policy of hiring their own citizens to strengthen local employment.

“The Arroyo administration should instead urge host governments in the ME to ratify the United Nations Convention for the Protection of Migrant Workers and Members of their Families, and that it must willingly spend money for education and training host states and employers on respect for migrants rights and welfare," Ociones, added.

Brion joined other ministers from Afghanistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Kuwait, Malaysia, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Vietnam, and Yemen at the ministerial consultation dubbed as "Abu Dhabi Dialogue."

The ministerial meeting was held to identify collaborative undertakings in promoting the welfare of migrants and sustaining the benefits of contractual labor between countries of origin and destination. - Mark Ubalde, GMANews.TV

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