5 labor attachés face recall for inaction on OFW issues

Five labor attachés from Taiwan and the Middle East have been ordered to report back to Manila to explain before Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III how they are addressing the "criticial issues" of OFWs in their areas of assignment.
“I instructed them to report here not later than March 15 because I want them to answer me personally on what they are doing  on the critical issues of OFWs,” said Bello in a statement Wednesday.
Those ordered to report back to Manila were:
  • Ophelia N. Almenario of POLO-Abu Dhabi
  • David Des Dicang of POLO-Qatar
  • Rodolfo Gabasan of POLO-Israel
  • Nasser Mustafa of POLO-Oman, and
  • Nasser Munder of POLO-Taichung
“Kakausapin ko sila at sasabihin ko na aksyunan ang mga isyu ng OFW sa kanilang lugar, lalo na iyong mga distressed at displaced,” Bello said. “Kung hindi pa sila susunod at maka-receive ako ng reklamo, ipapa-recall ko sila.”

Bello issued the instruction after receiving reports that some labor attaches are not mindful of the issues and situation of distressed OFWs in their posts.

He said one of the issues reported to him was the violation of the bilateral agreement between the Philippines and host countries in the Middle East, particularly on the $400 minimum wage of household service workers, by some employers.

“Dapat kapag may nalaman silang violation, i-blacklist na kaagad ang employer.  Ang trabaho nila sa 

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