PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte should settle any differences they may have, and work together in assisting the thousands of overseas Filipino workers caught in the ongoing strife in Lebanon, Bangladesh, Israel and other countries, as well as those suffering abuse and maltreatment.
The appeal was made by AkoOFW, a vast network of migrant Filipino workers, including advocacy groups and institutions, as it expressed deep concern for the workers who have been stranded, distressed and displaced amid various issues in their host-countries. Over 30,000 OFWs were initially reported as being affected in the Israel-Hezbollah conflict, another 700 were stranded in Bangladesh amid the civil protests there, and several more were caught or trapped in other areas due to war and unrest.
Japan was hit by 7.1 magnitude earthquake which occurred off the coast of Miyazaki Perfecture on the main island of Kyushu.
No information yet if there are any injuries or causalities involving Filipino national after the strong earthquake in Japan. Meanwhile, sexual, physical and psychological abuse of OFWs continue to occur in alarming frequency and volume in prime migrant worker destinations including Kuwait where, based on recent data from the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), there were about 268,000 OFWs, 88 percent of whom or 195,000, more or less, were household services workers.
Data from the government and migrant labor institutions show that there were 11 million to 12 million OFWs deployed in 200 countries and territories as of 2023, contributing significantly to the Philippine economy especially through their remittance.
According to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), total OFW remittance last year reached USD33.5 billion.
“OFWs deserve due attention, support and assistance from our government officials, especially during times of extreme difficulty such as war or civil unrest, calamities and instances of abuse and maltreatment. In these trying times, our president and vice president should lead the whole of government in ensuring safety and welfare for the migrant workers,” said Dr. Chie Umandap, Chairman of AkoOFW. Dr. Umandap stressed,
“As chairman of AkoOFW, I have faith in President Marcos’ sincerity in attending to the needs of OFWs, as I likewise trust VP Sara’s concern for this sector. However, their handling of whatever differences they may have is affecting the government’s provision of services to the migrant workers and their families here. So, I am reiterating AkoOFW’s appeal to our President and our Vice President: Please put your acts together. Unite and save the OFWs from the strife, incidences of abuse and those affected by calamities abroad. The OFWs – your constituents – need both of you!”
Thank you