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THE PHILIPPINE OVERSEAS MIGRATION PROGRAM: LEGISLATIVE UPDATES
Speech Delivered by the Honorable Jose “Jinggoy” Ejercito Estrada, Senate President Pro Tempore, at the “Lessons Learned: A Forum on the Updates on Migration Laws and Policies,” on 18 September 2008 at the Miriam College, Quezon City
Posted: November 5th, 2008 @ 10:11pm
ISANG MAGANDANG HAPON SA INYONG LAHAT NA NANDIRITO NGAYON, LALO NA SA ATING MGA KASAMANG PANAUHIN TAGAPAGSALITA.
LET ME INFORM YOU THAT THE PHILIPPINE OVERSEAS EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM WAS CITED BY NO LESS THAN THE INTERNATIONAL LABOR ORGANIZATION AS A MODEL IN INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION MANAGEMENT THAT IS BASED ON A MATURE LEGAL, ADMINISTRATIVE AND POLICY STRUCTURE OR FRAMEWORK. IT IS QUITE DEPLORABLE, HOWEVER, THAT DESPITE A WELL-STRUCTURED PROGRAM THAT IS FIRMLY ANCHORED ON THE 1987 PHILIPPINE CONSTITUTION AND THE LABOR CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES WHICH BOTH SEEK TO GUARANTEE THE PROTECTION OF THE FILIPINO WORKER, WHETHER EMPLOYED DOMESTICALLY OR OVERSEAS, WE CONTINUE TO RECEIVE REPORTS OF EXPLOITATION, VIOLENCE AND ABUSE AGAINST OVERSEAS FILIPINO MIGRANT WORKERS, WHO AT THE LATEST COUNT, ARE ESTIMATED AT FIVE MILLION TOILING IN 190 COUNTRIES. IT SEEMS THAT THE SAFETY VALVES THAT ARE IN PLACE ARE NOT ENOUGH TO PROTECT OUR NATIONALS IN OTHER LANDS. WHO WILL FORGET THE CASE OF FLOR CONTEMPLACION IN 1995 THAT BECAME SO SENSATIONAL THAT OUR LAWMAKERS MOVED QUICKLY TO APPEASE AN ANGRY NATION THROUGH REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8042? THE LAW, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE “MIGRANT WORKERS AND OVERSEAS FILIPINO ACT OF 1995” INSTITUTED THE POLICIES ON OVERSEAS EMPLOYMENT AND ESTABLISHED HIGHER STANDARDS FOR THE PROTECTION AND WELFARE OF OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS AND THEIR FAMILIES AND OTHER OVERSEAS FILIPINOS IN DISTRESS.
AYON SA ATING SALIGANG BATAS, TUNGKULIN NG PAMAHALAAN NA BIGYAN NG KARAMPATANG PROTEKSYON ANG ATING MGA MAMAMAYAN. BILANG ISANG DATING PUNONG BAYAN NG SAN JUAN NALALAMAN KO NA HINDI MAKAKAYANAN NG ANO MANG PAMAHALAAN NA BIGYAN NG TULONG ANG LAHAT NG KANYANG NASASAKUPAN, LALONG LALO NA ANG MGA KABABAYAN NATING NASA BINGIT NG ALANGANIN SA IBANG LUPAIN. KAYA NGA BA’T BILANG INYONG MAMBABATAS SA SENADO, AKO AY NAGPANUKALA NG SENATE BILL NO. 2501 NOONG IKA-TATLONG REGULAR SESSION NG IKA-LABING TATLONG KONGRESO NG ATING BANSA NA NAGLALAYONG SUSUGAN ANG SEC. 23 PARANGRAP B1 NG REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8042.
THE VALUABLE SUPPORT OF THE ACADEME, NON-GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE CIVIL SOCIETY TO THE BILL, TOGETHER WITH HOUSE BILL NO. 5498, SPONSORED BY CONGRESSMAN EDCEL LAGMAN DISPLAYED DURING THE MARATHON HEARINGS, LED TO THE ENACTMENT OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9422 ON 10 APRIL 2007. AS THE NEW LAW REPEALED SECTIONS 29 AND 30 OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8042, IT STRENGTHENED THE REGULATORY FUNCTIONS OF THE POEA AND MANDATED THE AGENCY TO IMPLEMENT A SYSTEM THAT WILL ENHANCE THE PROTECTIVE MECHANISMS FOR OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS TO GUARANTEE THEIR WELFARE WHILE IN THE WORKSITES.
KARAGDAGAN DITO, AKO AY MASIGASIG NA NAGSUSULONG NG PAGTATAYO NG ISANG PAGAMUTAN PARA SA MGA OFWS AT NANG KANILANG MGA PAMILYA SAPAGKAT AYON SA ISTATISTIKA, KWARENTA’Y DOS PORSYENTO (42%) NG MGA BUMABALIK NGA OFWS NA NAGSISIBALIK SA ATING BANSA, MATAPOS ANG KANILANG PAGTRATRABAHO SA IBANG BANSA, AY NANGANGAILANGAN NG SAPAT NA PANGKALUSUGANG ATENSYON O DI KAYA’Y PAGPAPAGAMOT SA KANILANG MGA KARAMDAMAN.
ANG NASABING PANUKALA AY NAGLALAYONG LUTASIN ANG MGA PROBLEMANG PANGKALUSUGAN NG ATING MGA OFWS UPANG SILA’Y MABIGYAN NG PANGUNAHING ATENSYON.
I AM PUSHING HARD FOR THE PASSAGE OF THIS BILL BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT ASIDE FROM SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE, THE BEST CAPITAL THAT OUR WORKERS MUST POSSESS IS GOOD HEALTH. THEY CAN NEVER BE GLOBALLY COMPETITIVE IF THEY ARE IN POOR HEALTH.
MIGRATION DIPLOMACY
BILANG TAGAPANGULO NG COMMITTEE ON LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT SA MATAAS NA KAPULUNGAN NG KONGRESO, ANG INYONG LINGKOD AY NAGSAGAWA DIN NG IBANG PAMAMARAAN UPANG MATULUNGAN ANG ATING MGA OFWS SA PAMAMAGITAN NG DIPLOMASYA.
KAMAKAILAN, AKO AY NAG-IBANG BANSA SA ABU DHABI AT DUBAI UPANG HUMANAP NG KARAGDAGANG PROTEKSYON PARA SA ATING MGA PILIPINONG NAGTRATRABAHO SA UAE NA KUNG SAAN AY ITO ANG PANGALAWA SA MGA SAMPUNG MGA BANSA NA PINUPUNTAHAN NG ATING MGA MANGGAGAWA NOONG 2007.
ANG AKING PAGBISITA DOON AY NAGBIGAY SA AKIN NG PAGKAKATAON NA MALAMAN ANG KONDISYON NG ATING MGA OFWS, LALO NA ANG ATING MGA KABABAYANG DOMESTIC HELPERS.
IPINAALAM KO SA KAGAWARAN NG PAGGAWA NG NASABING BANSA, SA KANILANG LABOR MINISTER SAQR SAEED GOBASH NOONG KAMI AY MAGKITA ANG IBA’T IBANG MGA SULIRANIN NG ATING MGA KABABAYAN AT SA KABUTIHANG PALAD AY BINIGYAN NG PANGUNAHING ATENSYON ANG MGA INIHAIN KONG MGA PROBLEMA AT KASABAY NG PANGAKONG ITO AY BIBIGYAN NG PANANDALIANG SOLUSYON.
I ALSO DISCUSSED WITH THE MINISTER THE PROBLEMS OF LACK OF LABOR LAW GUARANTEES FOR HOUSEHOLD WORKERS, SUBSTITUTION OF CONTRACTS BY EMPLOYERS, AND THE RECRUITMENT OF FILIPINOS THROUGH VISITORS’ VISAS, A SCHEME THAT EXPOSES THE WORKERS TO ABUSES. MINISTER GOBASH, A FORMER UAE AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AGREED THAT THERE WAS A NEED TO HARMONIZE THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS BETWEEN THE UAE AND THE PHILIPPINES. KAYA NAMAN AKO AY NANINIWALA NA WALANG HINDI MADADAAN SA MAAYOS NA PAG-UUSAP.
ANG MALAWAKANG PANGINGIBANG BANSA NG ATING MGA PROPESYONAL AT MGA MANGGAGAWA AY ISA PANG BAGAY NA DAPAT PAGTUUNAN NG ATING MASUSING PAG-AARAL. NAUUBUSAN TAYO NG ATING MGA MAGAGALING NG DOCTOR, MGA GURO, PILOTO, AT MGA MEKANIKO. KASAMA DITO ANG MGA INHENIYERO NA NAGSISILIKAS SA IBANG BANSA SA ASIA, GITNANG SILANGAN, SA EUROPA, SA AMERIKA, AT AFRIKA SAPAGKAT MAS MATAAS ANG KANILANG KINIKITA SA MGA NASABING MGA LUGAR.
SURELY, WE CANNOT PREVENT THEM FROM LEAVING THE COUNTRY, BUT FOREIGN EMPLOYERS MUST BE TASKED AND ASKED TO COMPENSATE US FOR DRAINING OUR MANPOWER. I AM HAPPY TO LEARN THAT THE DOLE AND THE POEA HAVE INCLUDED IN THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY FORGE WITH FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS PROVISIONS ON TRAINING FUNDS AND REPLENISHMENT SCHEMES.
CONCLUSION
FINALLY, LET ME ASSURE YOU THAT YOUR LAWMAKERS, THROUGH THE VARIOUS HOUSE AND SENATE COMMITTEES, WILL CONTINUE TO PLAY THEIR ROLE IN HELPING SHAPE A BETTER AND A MORE DYNAMIC OVERSEAS EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM. WITH MEANINGFUL AND RESPONSIVE LEGISLATIONS, WE HOPE TO CONTRIBUTE OUR SHARE IN PUTTING IN PLACE A MIGRATION PROGRAM THAT HAS OPTIMIZED THE BENEFITS OF MIGRATION AND MINIMIZED THE ATTENDANT SOCIAL RISKS.
MAGANDANG HAPON SA INYONG LAHAT AT NAWA’Y MAPAGTULONG-TULUNGAN NATING MAISA-AYOS ANG KAPAKANAN NG ATING MGA OFWS.
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