Is it safe for Filipinos to work abroad?

[ASEAN NOW News]

As the coronavirus pandemic closed borders and countries shut down, the industries Filipino workers have gravitated to -- tourism, airport services, shipping, and cruises -- were among the hardest hit.

 

With borders shut and economies shrinking, many were trapped in foreign countries that feel a limited sense of responsibility for their welfare.

 

Eventually the Philippine government arranged special flights to help them return.

 

Family and peer pressure 

 

Now, with no income many are now planning to work abroad again.

 

The pressure of familial responsibility and peer pressure are among the biggest factors that drive Filipinos to work abroad. Seeing their friends get higher salaries and achieve a better life after only a few months abroad would entice several people to try their luck themselves.

 

According to The Bureau of Immigration (BI) of the Philippines they issued strict guidelines designed to deter the exodus of undocumented Overseas Foreign Workers (OFWs) by making the said blanket requirement for all who travel as tourists.

Bureau of Immigration chief said the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) assisted the bureau in the formulation of the new procedure.

They appealed to Filipino travelers for understanding as they would be inconvenienced by the new procedure aimed at protecting Filipinos from being victims of human traffickers.

Forty a Day

 

(File photo)

 

Apparently, more than 40 suspected illegal workers disguised as tourists are offloaded daily at the Ninoy Aquino Internal Airport (NAIA).

He said the bureau adopted the policy to fight the nefarious activities of human trafficking syndicates

“Undocumented OFWs are prone to abuses by their employers,” he said.

According to Immigration it is easy to spot undocumented overseas workers who are posing as tourists because their itinerary are not popular tourist destinations like countries in Middle East.

He said the OFWs pretending to be tourists use Dubai, Singapore, Malaysia, Bangkok and Hong Kong as transit points to their final destinations.

 

However, OFWs are considered economic heroes of the country because of their significant contribution towards the growth of the Philippine economy. Remittances sent by OFWs accounted for 11% of the total GDP of the country in 2018. ... OFWs are responsible for the surge in the volume of remittances sent back home.

 

Filipinos could always count on their breadwinner relatives abroad, and, by extension, so could the Philippine economy.

 

 

According to a central bank survey, 80% of remittance inflows are spent, not saved -- an indication of how central remittances are to consumption in the Philippines, and how closely some Filipino families are to running out of money should those remittances stop.

 

Seventy percent of the Philippine economy is consumption driven.

 

IACAT workload too much

 

Presently, the IACAT can take action on domestic trafficking, however it admits it is not yet able to fully respond to cases of trafficking with international dimensions.

 

Particularly those affecting our Overseas Filipino Workers and those victimized abroad. ... Increase of human resources of the IACAT and its task forces.

 

Meanwhile several Middle East countries rely on Filipinos as domestic help.

 

The Philippines and Saudi Arabia governments recently reaffirmed the shared commitment to ramp up cooperation in protecting and upholding the rights and welfare of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the Kingdom.

 

Also, to work together in addressing Covid-19 challenges, as both nations sought to expand cooperation in areas of mutual interest, including trade and investments.

 

Although the Philippine government had stopped this type of employment, due to many reports of discrimination, abuse, and violence abroad, they recently agreed to re-open channels again.

 

Let us hope the workers this time around get the help and protection they deserve.