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Philippines: Change Labor Export Policy |
| Source: |
mb.com.ph |
| Source Date: |
Friday, June 03, 2011 |
| Focus: |
ICT for MDGs
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| Country: |
Philippines |
| Created: |
Jun 07, 2011 |
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In light of developments that may displace some 350,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Saudi Arabia, a migrant welfare group Friday said that it is high time for the Philippine government to “decisively deviate from its labor export policy and instead focus on creating decent and sustainable” local jobs.
Migrante International chairperson Garry Martinez said that government agencies could not just brush aside reports, noting that the Philippine economy “is so dependent on labor-export and the influx of OFW remittances that it cannot simply just brush aside the loss of revenue from at least 350,000 OFWs.”
“We view statements from concerned government agencies stating that they are unworried and unperturbed as plain empty bravado," Martinez said.
“No domestic jobs are available for them as we already have at least 12 million in the unemployed work force. The government’s recourse is to once again seek markets for them abroad despite the ongoing global financial crisis that continues to displace thousands and thousands of our OFWs. It’s a never-ending vicious cycle, when does it end?” Martinez said.
Vice President Jejomar C. Binay, Presidential Adviser on OFW Concerns, however, said that steps are being taken to iron out issues affecting OFWs in Saudi Arabia, including the proposed six-year limit for foreign workers in the oil-rich Kingdom.
Binay said he met with officials of the Departments of Labor and Employment and Foreign Affairs last Thursday to discuss the issues.
“(Labor) Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz, upon the invitation of the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, will hold bilateral talks with her counterpart in the Ministry of Labor of the kingdom. We’ve been looking forward for this to happen,” Binay said in an interview though he did not give details about the planned meeting between Philippine and Saudi labor officials.
Among the issues to be discussed, he said, is the six-year cap being considered by the kingdom for foreign workers.
Earlier, Adel M. Fakieh, Saudi Minister of Labor, was reported as saying that moves are being considered to allow foreigners to work in the kingdom for a maximum of only six years as “expatriate workers who have spent six years in the Kingdom will not have their contracts renewed.”
The implementation of the “Saudization policy of 2006” of the Kingdom could reportedly cost jobs of 350,000 OFWs.
Binay admitted that deployment of OFWs in the Kingdom, which is the top OFW host for years, has been affected by Republic Act 10022 which improved the protection and promotion of the welfare of migrant workers, their families and overseas Filipinos in distress.
The Saudi government earlier banned deployment of Filipina domestic helpers in the oil-rich Kingdom because of some new rules imposed by the Philippine government.
The Saudi government reportedly rejected new rules imposed by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) that required verification of new contracts of maids being sent to work in Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi government reportedly also objected to a requirement that prospective Saudi employers provide a sketch and photograph of their houses.
Another rule being objected to was the imposition of a $400 minimum monthly salary, which many Saudi families reportedly could not afford.
Saudi labor officials reportedly told Binay during his recent visit to the Kingdom that “home sketch and photograph requirement was tantamount to an invasion of privacy and also posed a security risk to employers.”
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Philippines: Change Labor Export Policy In light of developments that may displace some 350,000 overseas Filipino workers OFWs in Saudi Arabia a migrant welfare group Friday said that it is high time for the Philippine government to “decisively deviate from its labor export policy and instead focus on creating decent and sustainable” local jobs
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