Proposed OFW dep't seen to address issues of domestic workers, OFWs in conflict areas

By ERWIN COLCOL, GMA News
A lawmaker believes that the creation of a Department of Overseas Filipinos will help address issues related to the abuse of Filipino domestic helpers abroad as well as ensuring the safety and protection of OFWs in conflict areas.
Batangas Representative Mario Vittorio Mariño, one of the proponents of the new department, made the remark on Monday following the killing of Filipina domestic worker Jeanelyn Villavende in Kuwait and amid the rising tension in the Middle East after the US assassinated a top Iranian general.
In a phone interview with reporters, Mariño said the secretary of the Department of Overseas Filipinos may initiate a policy that would help upgrade the skills of Filipino domestic workers so that they would no longer need to be deployed abroad.
The secretary can also come up with a policy where Filipino domestic helpers would have their own place to stay in, he added.
"Yung secretary kasi they can program a policy na bumababa yung sini-send natin na domestic helpers because we are upgrading their skills. So dapat less na yun," Mariño said.
"Yun din kasi ang magiging problema natin ngayon eh, yung mga domestic helper, they are living with their employer. But if we have a secretary of OFWs, makakapaggawa tayo ng policies na hindi sila nakatira doon sa employer. That will minimize the problems," he added.
In cases of rising conflict in a foreign region which could affect OFWs there, Mariño said the secretary of the proposed department may handle matters with the head of the host country to ensure the safety of Filipino migrant workers.
"The department can really focus on one secretary [who] can deal with a country like Iran or neighboring areas kung papaano ide-deploy yung next batches of OFWs. Or in case they have to be sent back to our country kasi magulo," he said.
Mariño said the House of Representatives is expected to resume its plenary consideration of the proposed OFW department bill once it resumes session on January 20.
Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano has already said the approval of the OFW department bill is one of their priorities in the 18th Congress, as well as of the bills creating a Department of Water and a Department of Disaster Resilience. —KBK, GMA News

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