FW: Mass Repatriation in Bahrain

 

Migrante-Middle East statement on the mass repatriation of some 23 to 30 distress OFWs from Bahrain

24 January 2011

 

(Note: See attached letter from PH embassy in Bahrain)

 

"We welcome the mass repatriation of the distress & stranded OFWs staying at the Filipino Workers Resource Center in Manama, Bahrain. We do hope that the PH embassy will not just be contented on reactively repatriating distress and stranded but as well as pro-actively work for the inking of a bilateral agreement wit the Bahraini govt. on OFWs protection. 

 

We have to reiterates to the Aquino government and it Foreign Affairs department, if it has political will and could stand on equal footing with its counterpart OFW-host governments, to forge a bilateral pact providing concrete OFWs protection while working at the host country. In fact, this is clearly mandated in the newly amended Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act or RA10022, P-Noy has to implement the law.

 

Previous administration failed to do so because they lack genuine concern on the plight of OFWs and their dependents; by all indications, it seems that the Aquino government is following suit."

-John Leonard Monterona (signed)

Migrante-Middle East coordinator.