Arroyo urges protection of Filipino workers in Russia

Arroyo urges protection of Filipino workers in Russia

House Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is pushing for a labor agreement between the Philippine and Russian governments for the better protection of Filipino workers in the federative state.
Speaking at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Arroyo said that most of the thousands of Filipinos working in Russia are undocumented, which makes them vulnerable to arrest and detention.
"The vast majority of Filipino workers in Russia are household workers and nannies but except for around 200, all of them—from 5,000 to 10,000—are undocumented. They pay as much as US$3,800 for improper or manufactured visas," she said.
Because of this, she said, "they are always on the radar of the police, under constant threat of arrest and deportation. Crimes against them go unreported for fear of deportation. They fall victim to illegal recruiters and human traffickers."
Arroyo said a labor agreement between the two counties would serve the interests of the two nations.
"What is the solution to maximize the potential of our Filipino workers to contribute to Russian development and investment attractiveness? The solution is a labor agreement between our two countries. I understand we have vast experience in this area and have found that the interests of both sending and receiving states are served by the agreement. I understand we have had several discussions on this, and that in May last year the Philippines formally submitted a draft labor agreement to Russia," she said.
Arroyo was invited to speak at the SPIEF, a global platform for members of the business community to meet and discuss the key economic issues facing Russia, emerging markets, and the world as a whole.
It has been held since 1997 and, since 2006, under the auspices of the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin.
This year, the event was held from June 6 to 8. Also in attendance were other world leaders including Chinese President Xi Jinping. — Erwin Colcol/BM, GMA News

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