Gov’t scored for relying on labor export policy

MANILA, Philippines - Several groups on Wednesday criticized the Arroyo administration for relying on the country’s policy of sending workers abroad in the face of the global financial crisis.

Migrante International, Filipino Migrant Workers Union, and Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) during a media briefing in Quezon City on Wednesday lambasted the government for continuously sending workers abroad instead of generating jobs in the country as a counter to the financial crisis

Migrante chairperson Connie Bragas-Regalado said that many overseas Filipino workers (OFW) are worried of losing their jobs because of the crisis.

“Sa krisis ngayon, nangangamba an libo-libo nating kababayan, hindi lang mga Pilipino kundi pati migrants ng ibang nasyonalidad na mawalan ng trabaho(In this crisis, thousands of Filipinos and migrants of other nationalities are worried that they might lose their jobs)," she said.

“At lalong nakakatakot dahil kung sila ay irepatriate, wala naman silang madadatnan sa ating trabaho (And they are afraid that after they are repatriated, no jobs would be waiting for them back home.)," said the migrant leader.

She said the immediate response of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is to train these workers to be “super maids" and caregivers who would be highly competitive.

Bayan chairperson Carol Araullo said this illustrated the fundamental flaw in our labor export policy.

“Bulok ang takbo ng ekonomiya at ang lusot ay kung saan nakakapagpadala ng migrants (The flow of the economy is not good, with migration as our only scapegoat)," she said.

“Malinaw lang na wala din silang ibibigay na magandang trabaho kundi itutulak lang din sila sa labas [It’s clear that they don’t have any good jobs (in the Philippines) to offer but only work overseas]," said Regalado.

Meanwhile, Emmanuel Villanueva, vice chairperson of Filipino Migrant Workers Union, asked the government why Filipinos have to take on the burden of remedying the effects of the financial crisis on the country.

“Bakit kailangang paghiwa-hiwalayin ang mga pamilya para lamang paunlarin ang bansa? Bakit kailangang magkaroon ng migrasyon para lamang sa kaunlaran ng mga bansa? Bakit kailangang iwanan ng mga magulang ang mga anak para lamang sa kaunlaran ng bansa?" he said.

(Why should families separate for the country’s development? Why should there be migration just for the development of the country? Why do parents have to leave their children just for the development of the country?)

Moreover, he said despite having decades of labor export experience, the Philippines should not be used as a model for migration because its government cannot even provide the proper living conditions for its people.

“Yung mga Pilipino ay sila na lamang ang tumutustos sa kanilang pangangailangan mula sa mga remittances ng kanilang mga kamag-anak sa ibang bansa (The Filipinos provide for themselves through the remittances of their relatives in other countries.)," he said.

The groups said they also expect that this economic turmoil will produce more problems for migrants and migrant workers in the future.

“We have yet to see the backlash of such policies, not just financially, but also socially," said Araullo. - GMANews.TV

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