Members of three overseas Filipino workers’ (OFW) organizations are opposed to the establishment of the Department of Overseas Filipinos (DOFIL), saying it was unnecessary and would only encourage the export of Filipino workers.
At the “Tapatan sa Aristocrat” forum on Monday, Jasmin Ruas, director of the Domestic Caretaker Union in Taiwan, said the establishment of the DOFIL contradicted President Rodrigo Duterte’s campaign promise to end labor export in 10 years.
“No’ng bago si Pangulong Duterte pinapangako n’ya na kami raw ay mag to-tour na lang sa mga bansang pinagtatrabahuhan namin, pero sa nangyayari po ngayon parang mas sinusuportahan n’ya ‘yung labor export policy, na ma-encourage pa ang mga Pilipinong mag abroad,” Ruas said.
In 2017, Duterte said that in 10 years’ time, Filipinos would no longer need to go abroad to work.
“Ang dream ko sa Pilipinas, hindi ko na maabot iyan, pero umpisahan ko iyan. In about 10 years, hindi na kayo lalabas,” he said in a speech to the Filipino community in Thailand.
Joshua Mata, secretary general of the Sentro ng Nagkakaisang Manggagawa, questioned the government’s move to fast-track the approval of the Senate bill that would establish the DOFIL, a one-stop-shop agency for all the needs of OFWs such as documents, training, and recruitment.
“Bakit ba kailangan nito? Ano ba ang intention at ba’t ito ni-ru-rush sa panahon na mas marami tayong problema na dapat tugunan?” he said during the online forum.
Mata said the Duterte administration should strengthen existing government agencies that handle OFWs matters instead of establishing a centralized department that would lead to the “commodification” of Filipino workers.
On March 11 last year, the House of Representatives approved House Bill 5832 establishing the DOFIL.
In December 2020, Duterte certified the Senate’s version of the bill as urgent, giving the Senate authority to fast-track its passage.
Edwin de la Cruz, lawyer and president of the International Seafarers Action Center, said DOFIL might also displace government employees.
“‘Yan pong pag-create ng bagong department, makasisira po ‘yan sa kabuhayan hindii lang ng mga OFW, kun’di maging ng mga taong gobyerno na mawawalan ng trabaho [at] maiiwan sa alanganin,” said de la Cruz, who is also a representative at the Global Council of Migrante International.
Instead of creating DOFIL, the government should focus on generating jobs in the Philippines, cash assistance for OFWs, and aiding undocumented workers, de la Cruz said.
The head of the Philippines Labour Union in Hong Kong, Shiella Estrada, said Filipino domestic workers were “afraid” to go back to the Philippines due to the lack of jobs.
“Kinakatakutan naming umuwi dahil wala na kaming pagkakataon makabalik sa any hanap buhay d’yan sa atin,” Estrada said.
“Napasakit po ‘yan para sa amin, kasi parang tingin namin ‘yung mga anak namin ngayon na pinaglalaanan namin ng sakripisyo para mapagaral sila, ‘yung migration na rin po ang pupuntahan ng mga ‘yan kung ganyan na ang programa ng ating gobyerno,” she added.
Since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Department of Foreign Affairs has repatriated 400,958 Filipinos. Covering the period from February 2020 until May 13, 2021. Charlene Grace Lao