FW: Photo news-PINOY ABROAD- Migrants protest budget cut for OFWs

Caption:

While Pres. Noynoy Aquino and his group are enjoying hotdogs in New York, migrant workers under Migrante-UAE are protesting the recent budget cut for OFWs. The group said that the rights and welfare of migrant workers do not seem to be a priority for Noynoy. The indoor protest was held in Karama, Dubai on Friday. (photo by Angel L. Tesorero)

 

 

 

 

Palace unjustified, illegal budget cut on OFWs legal aid funds to face massive protest actions from OFWs around the world –Migrant rights group

 

Migrante-Middle East, an alliance of Filipino migrant rights groups based in the Middle East, today said the unjustifiable budget cut on OFWs legal aid and assistance to the nationals funds that forms part of the Foreign Affairs department 2011 budget submitted by Malacanang in Congress during budget deliberation, will be facing massive protest actions from OFWs and their organizations to show their disgust to what it called an ‘anti-OFW and transgression’ on the mandate of the Migrant Workers Act by no other than the Aquino administration.

 

“We are convinced that the Aquino administration would only listen to our concern about the unjustifiable cut on OFWs legal assistance funds, among other OFWs concerns, if we will make our actions a concerted effort, internationally, enough for President Aquino to hear even if he is inside the Malacanang,” said John Leonard Monterona, Migrante-Middle East regional coordinator.

 

Monterona said after the news broke out about the unjustifiable cut on OFWs legal assistance fund during the DFA budget deliberation in Congress, a considerable numbers of OFWs and various OFWs organizations have expressed their strong opposition and conveyed their support to join Migrante chapters in the Middle East on its advocacy for an increase government budget for OFWs on-site services and welfare programs.

 

“Our various Migrante chapters in the Middle East, along with other OFWs organizations and the Filipino community in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Libya, and Israel are now consulting on what specific actions to take to show our strong opposition against this first anti-OFW act by the Aquino administration,” Monterona added.

 

The Saudi-based OFW leader further said there are strong negative responses from OFWs and their families disgusted how they felt betrayed by P-Noy who had promised to provide better assistance and programs to OFWs and their families during presidential campaign sorties.

 

Monterona revealed some OFWs and OFWs organizations have suggested initiating an online petition and signature campaign, issuing a manifesto to be signed by various OFWs organizations and their leaders and representatives, press conferences, indoor protest actions, among others, against the Aquino administration’ budget cut on OFWs legal assistance funds.

 

 “The budget cut for OFWs legal assistance and assistance to the nationals’ funds is an indication that OFWs and their families would remain marginalize, whose issues and concerns would again be set aside by the Aquino administration who had promised to attend on their concerns swiftly upon his assumption to the Presidency on July, amid the worsening conditions of OFWs abroad,” Monterona ended. # # # 

 

 

ABAD: LEGAL FUND FOR OFWS WILL BE MORE THAN P100M IN 2011

Budget and Management Secretary Florencio B. Abad today assured overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and their families that the government's Legal Assistance Fund (LAF) for OFWs will be worth at least P100 million, as mandated by law.

 

He also said that the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) agreed to submit an erratum to Congress to increase the government allocation for LAF in 2011 to P30 million, as mandated by the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995, as amended (Republic Act No. 8042, as amended by R.A. No. 10022).

 

"Hindi po natin pinapabayaan ang ating mga bayaning OFW (We are not neglecting the needs of our OFW heroes). Contrary to earlier reports, our funds for legal support to our OFW in 2011 will be sufficient, and even more than required," he said.

 

He said the department projects that the total LAF for 2011 could at least be P129.96 million to as much as P217.76 million. He said this depends on how the 2010 balance will be used for the rest of the year, with the department assuming conservatively that half will be used.

 

Abad said that the department's record shows that only 6.7% or P14.5 million of the P135.518 million in LAF for 2010 has been used as of June 30. Furthermore, there is a fund balance of P52.63 million in 2009, which is carried-over due to the continuing nature of the fund.

 

The P2.7 million will come from the Assistance to Nationals (ATN) fund, also a continuing fund with current balances that could be used to augment the LAF. Additional funding could also come from balances of existing legal assistance or defense fund.

 

Under R.A. No. 10022, a LAF should be established in the amount of P100 million, to be sourced from the President's Contingent Fund (P50 million), the President's Social Fund (P20 million) and the Overseas Workers' Welfare Fund (P20 million).

 

The amended law mandates that an annual appropriation of not less than P30 million for LAF shall be provided in the national budget, with total LAF not being less than P100 million. LAF is treated as a Special Fund in the National Treasury, and its balances cannot revert back to the General Fund.     

OFW rights group re-iterates calls to address rampant contract substitution victimizing OFWs in the Middle-east

 

 

Press Release

 

 

Worried over the swelling up of contract substitutions cases victimizing OFWs deployed in the Middle East, an alliance of OFW rights group today calls on the Department of Labor and Employment and its Overseas labor offices to address the rampant cases of contract substitutions victimizing OFWs.

 

“Contract substitution has been a recurring problem encountered by OFWs especially those deployed in the Middle East, we wonder why until now the Labor Department and its Overseas Labor offices could not solve this,” asked John Leonard Monterona, Migrante-Middle East regional coordinator.

 

Monterona said contract substitution occurs when the deployed OFW upon arrival to the job site will be forced to sign a new contract by his or her employer with different terms and conditions from the originally signed contract that was facilitated by the local recruitment agency in the Philippines.

 

“On our records of cases, 5 out of the average 8 cases recorded daily are about contract substitution and violation consciously committed by the employers, it is worsening because victims are now by group collectively complaining against their employer about contract substitution,” Monterona added.

 

Monterona said an OFW will feel bad if at the end of the month he would received a lower salary compared to what is stipulated on the original contract he has signed.

 

“Aside from a lowered the salary, OFWs victim of contract substitution normally complaints of non-payment of overtime work, no medicare or health card which is to be provided by the employer, some complained of unexplained salary deductions, among others,” Monterona added.

 

Monterona cited the recently reported case of the 84 OFWs who are working as cleaners in the United Arab Emirates after their employer abandoned them without food and water.

“The case of 84 Pinay cleaners in the UAE is in addition to the already long lists of contract violations we have monitored numbering to little less than 3,000 already from January to September of this year alone, aside from the lists of cases from previous years which some are not yet resolved,” Monterona claimed.

 

Monterona further said there is something wrong in the system of the deployment of OFWs from processing the required formalities between the recruitment agencies and the POEA and the Philippine overseas Labor office (POLO) that approved the job orders to actual deployment of OFWs.

 

“It appears from our initial investigation that the contract signed by the OFW while he is still in the Philippines is only for formality purposes -for his registration to the POEA as hired workers facilitated by the recruitment agency; the recruitment agency representing the prospective foreign employers,” Monterona added.

 

Monterona said the role of the recruitment agencies in contract substitution cases must be thoroughly investigated by the DoLE-POEA and by the Philippine Congress.

“The inept Labor attaché on contract substitution cases must also be investigated, because it is on his jurisdiction and duty to protect the labor rights of our deployed OFWs against the malpractices of the employer including contract substitution and violations,” Monterona added.

 

“For this purpose, we are calling the Senate Labor committee and the House Committee on Overseas Workers Affairs to conduct an investigation, in aid of legislation and in crafting appropriate measures or policy, so that this highly irregular, illegal contract substitution would be prevented,” Monterona ended. # # #

 

 

Migrant rights group welcomes Kuwait government scrapping of 'sponsor-ship' system

 

 

 

 

Press Release

 

 

Receiving reports from its local chapter in Kuwait, an alliance of Filipino migrant rights group in the Middle East today said the serious intention of the Kuwait government to abolish the sponsor-ship system, locally know as ‘kafeel’ system, is a good indication that Kuwait is geared towards respecting the rights and well being of expatriate workers in the former Iraqi-occupied country.

 

“We are glad to hear that Kuwait Minister of Social Affairs and Labor recognizes the need to abolish the sponsor-ship system in Kuwait as it would give leeway and freedom to expatriate workers in terms of travel and the opportunity to change and look for a better job within Kuwait, ,” said John Leonard Monterona, regional coordinator for Migrante Middle East.

 

Yesterday, a local newspaper in Kuwait (Al-Rai newspaper) quoted Minister of Social Affairs and Labour Mohammed Al-Afasi as saying that the "kafeel" system will be scrapped when a public authority for the recruitment of foreign workers is established in February.

 

"This will be our gift to foreign workers on the anniversary of Kuwait's liberation," from seven months of Iraqi occupation in 1991,” the minister said as he is quoted in Al-Rai newspaper.

The sponsorship system serves as the legal basis for one’s residency and employment in Kuwait and in other Gulf States.

Monterona said expatriates cannot enter, work, change jobs or leave the country until they have permission from their sponsor, usually a GCC citizen, company or ministry officials.

“The sponsorship system requires that an expatriate can work only for the sponsor and is entirely dependent on the contract in order to remain in the country,” Monterona explained.

 

Monterona added usually the laborer’s employer is the one who issues the visa invitation letter which requires the employee to work only for the original employer, who is also called the employee’s ‘sponsor’.

 

“In essence and in practice, sponsorship system is but an indentured servitude; a person under sponsorship simply called as bonded laborer who is under contract of the employer in exchange for an extension to the period of indenture, which could thereby continue indefinitely,” Monterona continued.

 

He further said that in the very nature of the prevailing system of sponsorship as practiced in the Gulf States, migrant workers as indentured servants were subject to abuses at the hands of their employers in the homes or fields in which they worked.

 

“That is why we often encounter cases where migrant workers have not been given a vacation despite they have already been completed their 2-year contract and other labor malpractices and abuses committed by the employers against the bonded laborer,” the OFW leader continued.

 

Sponsor-ship system emanates from the old social system of slavery whereby slaves are considered a private property.

 

Monterona said Migrante as an organization of OFWs recognizes the need to lead the formation of a broader lobby group along with other migrant workers in the Gulf States supportive to the call made by the National Society of Human Rights (NSHR) in Saudi Arabia and same entities in any Gulf States.

 

“This lobby group to be composed of migrant workers’ organizations in the Gulf States would be a special formation that is committed to lobby from host governments to ultimately decide to abolish the sponsorship system. This lobby group will likewise urge its respective governments to lobby the same to its counterpart host governments,” Monterona added.

 

Aside from Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, calls for the abolishment of sponsorship system got widespread supports in Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates amongst expatriates and nationals of those states.

 

"We are urging other host governments in the Gulf States to follow the same step taken by the Kuwaiti government in abolishing the sponsorship system,” Monterona added.

 

Migrante's Monterona however noted that OFWs and their families are disappointed to their own government the Aquino administration which failed to craft a clear and genuine program for the protection of OFWs as cases of abuses, maltreatment and labor malpractices continue to swell up.

 

Monterona said that host governments in the Gulf States like Kuwait are in fact have shown their willingness to cooperate with labor-sending government like the Philippines in terms of protecting the rights and well being of Filipino migrants.

 

"Nearly 100 days in office, we have noticed the Aquino administration’s reluctance in pushing and concluding OFWs rights protection pact with host governments; the Aquino administration unwillingness is a manifestation of its lip service to the sector keeping the Philippine economy afloat," Monterona ended. # # #

 

Fw: 09.09.10; I was told to Pass to Filipinos I know so here

Note: A forwarded message

To the Hongkong and PRC People:   You hate the Filipino people for the hostage fiasco that unfortunate incident that went out of control at the end. This was a hostage situation that was under control and which netted 7 Chinese tourists to be released upon the efforts of our policemen.   You appear and sound sanctimonious and have even stepped upon our sovereignty. You have demanded apology, the moon and the heavens. You hate the Filipino people as if we wanted this unfortunate incident to happen. First and foremost, we offer our condolences to the families of the 8 that were killed in this incident. Secondly, we are sorry for the bungled handling of this hostage taking. It was unfortunate, it was an accident, we never planned it that way. Is it fair to blame a whole nation for a situation that was never planned?   Let me ask you this question, "Should we hate you also for the lead poisoning caused by the paint you used in your baby furniture and toys for the children of the world, Should we hate you also for the use of cardboard in the "siopao" that you sell to tourists? Should we hate you also for the melamine contamination wherein not 8, but hundreds, maybe even thousands have suffered and some even died?   Or, let us talk of Filipino casualties. A few years ago, 3 Filipino tourists, all surnamed Madrigal, a family of 5 were walking on Tienemen Square and Beijing . One Chinese stabbed the father and two of his children, killing all three. Were you even sorry for what this one Chinese did? Did the Filipino people even demand that China apologize for this unfortunate incident. This was PRE-MEDITATED MURDER.   Just as the use of lead, cardboard, melamine was pre-meditated - used because they were cheaper materials, in order to generate PROFITS for the Chinese businessman. Did you pay damages the same way you are demanding damages from the Filipino nation and people.   Where was the anger of the Chinese and Hongkong people? Did you even apologize to the world? My God in the case of melanine, you even kept this information from the world, until you were exposed for what you are!!!   Enough! We symphatize but don't blame the Filipino people.   So you want to send our OFWs home, that take care of your children? They play an important part in your lives. Both spouses are able to work, earn money because of the tender loving care being heaped on your children by Filipino maids and yayas/amahs. While you pay our OFWs for the work they do, you earn more for the love and care they bestow on your children. Go ahead, send our OFWs home. Let us see how that will affect your family incomes.   Enough! is Enough!!!!   Pass this to all Filipinos you know. If you love your country, perhaps you'll send this.   May God Bless Us All.

On Aquino's US trip, Aquino, like Arroyo, will continue to peddle unprotected OFWs abroad

 

Press Release

20 September 2010

 

On Aquino’s US trip

Aquino, like Arroyo, will continue to peddle unprotected OFWs abroad -migrant group

 

Reacting on the first foreign trip of President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III in the US, an alliance of Filipino migrant rights group today said, like Arroyo, Aquino is likely to continue to peddle Overseas Filipino workers abroad without protection.

 

“P-Noy’s first trip abroad spells out a more intensified labor exportation program as it only re-affirms his economic programs based on the US government imposed neo-liberal policies of globalization such as liberalization, deregulation, and privatization that is pushing our people in dire poverty,” said John Leonard Monterona, Migrante-Middle East regional coordinator.

 

 Monterona said because of the RP government, past and present administrations’ blind adherence to neo-liberal policies of globalization, the socio-economic conditions of the Filipino masses becomes more deplorable.

 

“The Filipino masses –majority are workers and farmers, and even professionals, have no options left because the government is forcing them to find 3D (dirty, dangerous and dehumanizing) jobs abroad amid the scarcity of local jobs and rising cost of living and prices of basic goods and services,” Monterona added.

 

Monterona said that the labor export program is a conscious labor policy implemented by the Marcos regime when the country is pleading for foreign aid from IMF-WB and other foreign financial institutions and in order to ensure the in-flow of dollar reserves as a guarantee to foreign debt payments and more loans to in the future.

 

 “Thus, labor export program (read: peddling human labor) has now been institutionalized as a government’s ‘viable’ labor policy as part of the structural adjustment program, an imposition by the US-led IMF-WB and other foreign financial institutions,” Monterona added.

 

Monterona said since P-Noy’s US trip primary objective is to meet with US investors for his administration’s public-private partnership (PPP) projects, and witness the formal signing of a US$434-million compact grant agreement under the US government’s Millennium Challenge Account (MCA), and thereby hoping to avail financial assistance from MCA, then it is apparent that he would, like previous administrations, be willing to succumb to the wishes (read: impositions) of the US government.

 

“Adherence to neo-liberal policies of globalization (liberalization, deregulation, privatization) would lead to the intensification of labor export program by the government to ensure dollar reserves for debt payments, P-Noy therefore would continue to peddle unprotected OFWs abroad, who are sending billions of remittances yearly,” Monterona averred.

 

The Saudi-based OFW leader ended saying “The Filipino masses must expose and oppose the continued and blind adherence of the RP government on US neo-liberal policies of globalization, and must defend their socio-economic and political rights against the attacks of imperialists countries led by the US government. (end) # # #

 

 

Filipino migrant rights group pushes thorough, transparent auditing of OFWs trust fund

Migrante-Middle East, an alliance of various Filipino migrant groups advocating OFWs rights and welfare, today pushes the conduct of a thorough and transparent auditing of OFWs trust fund held in trust to the government.

 

John Leonard Monterona, Migrante-Middle East regional coordinator, said the call for a thorough and transparent auditing of OFWs trust fund held in trust to the government through its primary welfare agency, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), an adjunct agency of the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE), is based on the 22-point labor and employment agenda set-out by President Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino III upon his assumption to the Presidency.

 

Monterona cited item No.11 of the 22-point Labor and employment agenda of the Aquino administration, which states “Audit the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration to rationalize the management of its funds, in terms of the benefits provided as well as how the funds are invested.”

 

The OWWA trust fund is a compulsory collection of US$25 membership fee charge to every deployed OFWs.   Membership fee to OWWA should be paid by foreign employers but was later charge solely to OFWs.

 

“Barely more than a month ‘til his 100 days in office, we have not heard anything from Aquino’s labor honchos  about the status of the above-cited labor agenda which is of particular interest to us -the millions of OFWs abroad, amid the scarcity or practically inadequate programs and welfare services to OFWs and their dependents,” Monterona added.

 

Monterona further said despite of the fact that the OFWs trust fund is immensely growing proportional to the 3,800 OFWs deployed daily based on government own records, the fund is believed to have reached 12.8-B now and still growing relative to the growing numbers of OFWs deployed yearly.

 

“Logically, if the trust fund is growing merely due to the membership contribution of OFWs, OWWA should have come up sufficient programs and welfare services to cater the needs of OFWs on-site and their dependents back home; sad to say numerous OWWA’s programs and services have been stopped when the OWWA Omnibus Policies has been implemented on 2004 under the anti-OFW Arroyo administration,” according to Monterona.

 

Monterona said his group would also welcome if the auditing of the OWWA trust funds should be joined and witnessed by representatives of various OFWs groups in the name of transparency.

 

“Open disclosure of the status of the OWWA funds, owned by the OFWs themselves, is also demanded,” the Saudi-based OFW leader added.

“In line of the memorandum recently issued by the President instructing government agencies to develop their respective Medium-term development economic programs, we will welcome if our group and various OFWs organizations will be consulted as it is necessary so that a more responsive and doable programs and services could be crafted based on OFWs actual and prevailing needs and concerns, or else, we would not expect at all to the Aquino administration coming up more responsive programs and welfare services to OFWs and their dependents,” Monterona ended. # # #   

 

RP post welfare officer still detained in Saudi jail; migrant rights group calls anew for his immediate release

More than 2 months from his arrest on 12 June 2010, the welfare officer of the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh is still detained in Deira Jail, Riyadh and pleading hard for his immediate release.

 

Welfare officer Bashir Ayob, 47 years old from Takurong, Sultan Kudarat, was arrested on 12 June while he is attending the repatriation formalities of distress OFWs. He is accused and a primary suspect for rushing into a Saudi hospital an OFW woman while she is about to give birth but unfortunately died.

 

Welof Ayob has been working at the Philippine Embassy since 2006 who was then designated as Officer-In-Charge of the Embassy’s Bahay Kalinga.

 

According to the reports, on 22 May at around 3:40 p.m. an unidentified OFW woman was rushed to the Shemesy Hospital in Riyadh by an OFW who was not identified; the OFW woman died.

 

Usually seen assisting sick OFWs at the Shemesy hospital for check-up almost every day, Welof Ayob then became the suspect. 

 

On 10 June, he was invited by the Saudi police for questioning about the said incident but was later cleared.

 

On 12 June, he was arrested while attending the repatriation formalities of distress OFWs at the immigration office in Riyadh.

 

His wife, Bing Ayob who is also an OFW nurse based in Riyadh, first appealed to the Philippine Embassy for assistance seeking for his immediate release from prison as he is innocent of the crime charged against him.

 

The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) made a public pronouncement that it will be extending assistance to Welof Ayob by hiring a local lawyer for his defense.

 

Migrant-Middle East, an alliance of Filipino migrant rights group, urged the Philippine Embassy-Assistance to the Nationals Section (ANS) to arrange Welof Ayob released by placing him under its custody.

 

“More than 2 months now since his detention, the RP post didn’t even bother to issue a certification that Welof Ayob is not the person who abandoned the OFW who died at the Shemesy hospital, and then arrange to place him under the embassy’s custody,” said John Leonard Monterona,  Migrante-Middle East regional coordinator.

 

Monterona said Welof Ayob’s continued detention is greatly affecting the numerous welfare cases he is to attend. 

 

“Now there are about 120 distress OFWs staying at the Bahay Kalinga, which unlike before under Welof Ayob’s care and guidance there are only about 40 distress OFWs at Bahay Kalinga,” Monterona added.

 

Monterona deplores the RP post slow action, if there is any, and post indecisiveness attending on Welof Ayob’s case. 

 

“His immediate release must be given top priority by the RP post as he is contributing a lot in attending distress OFWs cases, while other inept officials are merely sitting inside their air-conditioned offices at the Philippine embassy; these inept embassy officials deserve to be in jail, not Welof Ayob,” Monterona ended.

 

Abuses, maltreatment swell during Ramadan -migrant group

Migrante-Middle East, an alliance of overseas Filipino workers’ organizations in the Middle East today said the number of run away and distress OFWs especially domestic helpers is rising during Ramadan, where many Filipina domestic helpers and migrant of other nationalities could not anymore bear the difficulties of huge household chores, sleeping late at night but waking up early morning, and are having only a single meal daily.

 

“Since, domestic helpers are living on their employer’s house practically like an aliping namamahay during Philippine pre-colonial time, it is expected that they too would abide the cultural practices of their respective employers observing the Holy Month of Ramadan and this would be very difficult for them to adjust, coupled with the inhumane treatment accorded to them,” said John Leonard Monterona, Migrante-Middle East regional coordinator.

 

Monterona said Migrante chapters in the Middle East have noticed a rise in the numbers of run away and distress OFWs during Ramadan.

 

Tomorrow, 11 August, would be the start of the observance of Ramadan.

 

“If during the past months, we normally received an average of 5 cases of run away and distress OFWs daily, we expect to receive 8 cases during Ramadan,” Monterona added.

 

Monterona said this is the same observations on last year’s Ramadan where the numbers of run away and distress OFWs surged to about an average 8 cases daily as documented by our Migrante chapters.

 

“Just yesterday, I received an email from a group of Filipino workers working for on a beauty center in Kuwait asking for assistance due to labor malpractice by their employers,” Monterona added.

 

A portion of the OFWs email said, “We are Filipino workers working in Ms. Raneem Beauty Center, owned and managed by Mr. Mohammad Rebhi Youshief Suleiman a Jordanian citizen and his wife Madame Wafa Al-Awad a Kuwaiti. We would like to take this opportunity to finally raise complaints on them in violating our human rights and even our rights as a worker in this country holding 18visa. Our complaints were listed as follows: Illegal recruitment – almost all Filipino workers were brought in Kuwait as Tourist visa. And when asked to sent them back home, they asked for 100 thousand (Philippine money) in each person as compensation to their expenses in bringing the person in Kuwait, No contract – all of their Filipino workers didn’t sign any working contracts with them. Or had any clear verbal contracts with them, All the passports of the Filipino workers were taken and being kept inside their house in Yarmouk.
- All of the workers in the saloon are not under their names as sponsor or
employers.
- Forceful signing in a blank paper.
- Working 12 hours per day or equivalent as 72 hours a week and sometimes more
than. And breaks are less than an hour. No shifting happens as it was written on
the documents from the ministry of Kuwait.
- No overtime pay. No additional pay on the day the workers worked on holidays.
- No sick leave. If it happens that the worker are not able to report for work
she will be considered as absent and it will going to be deducted on their
salary for that month.
- Below minimum salary that mostly the workers are just getting KD 80 to KD 100
a month without any commission.
- Salaries are not fixed. Varies from the amount of their work each month.
- One day off each week from 10am to 4pm. And usually at the last week of the
month were there is lot of customers we are forced to go to work. Without any
added pay.

“ We are calling your attention to please investigate the situation we are
involved in. We are almost 60 Filipino workers in here, living inside the
accommodation. And hopefully, this suffering that we are into that we have since
we came here would end. We are already frustrated and helpless with our current
situation; our lips are sealed with fear that we cannot bear anymore to have
another day in this place, to know who had been hit again from our fellow
Filipinas. We had enough. And now we are willing to put an end on Mr. Suleiman’s
oppression. Not just for us here but for the coming batches that would be
tricked also by their words,” the workers said on their email to Monterona sent yesterday.

 

Monterona said Philippine labor department should be seriously working with counterparts host government to ink a pact providing protection mechanism for OFWs that would ensure that their well being and rights as migrant workers will be protected and guaranteed.

 

“We are yet to see what actions would the Aquino government to take in protecting deployed OFWs in the Middle East where most cases of abuses and maltreatment have been recorded yearly,” Monterona ended.

 

 

 

Murdered OFW's body arrives at NAIA

 

 

 

 

Migrante International chairperson Garry Martinez today accompanied the family of Mark Lloyd Carmen, an overseas Filipino worker murdered in Iran last July 1, 2010, to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport to fetch his remains.

 

Carmen went to Abu Dhabi last April 4 via tourist visa hoping to find work. He eventually got employed in one of the hotels there but had to leave before his visit visa expired. He left for the nearest exit point in Kish Island on June 11 to await the release of his working visa that was still being processed by his employer.

 

On July 1, Carmen bled to death after a Sudanese national stabbed him with a metal nail polisher. His roommates were unable to immediately bring him to the hospital as, under Sudanese law, only local authorities were allowed to take him. He died ten minutes after he arrived at the hospital, two hours after the stabbing incident.

 

Upon learning of his death, Leila Gonzaga, a relative residing in Abu Dhabi, went to Kish Island to claim his remains. The management of the hotel where he was staying paid for the hospital expenses and airfare for the transfer of his body to the Philippine embassy in Tehran.

 

Gonzaga was then told by embassy officials that it was the family’s responsibility to shoulder the cost of autopsy and airfare for the return of his remains to the Philippines amounting to almost half a million pesos. Sought for help, the Department of Foreign Affairs-Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs (DFA-OUMWA), informed Carmen’s mother that they had to pay USD8,000, or approximately P360,000, for the repatriation of her son’s remains.

 

On her visit to the morgue, Gonzaga was also shocked to learn that, apart from Carmen’s, at least a dozen more bodies of OFWs remain unclaimed in Iran morgues.

 

“This is cause for national outrage. The DFA was claiming that one of the main reasons for the delay in the repatriation of Carmen’s body was because many more bodies were being processed,” Martinez said.

 

He added, “The DFA should have no reason to justify failure to ship back the remains of OFWs when it has P100 million in repatriation funds. Saan na napunta ang pondong ito? Bakit ipinapabalikat sa mga pamilya ang expenses? We demand that the remains of OFWs in Iran be transported to the Philippines with haste and not a minute to lose.”

 

Martinez said that in the case of Carmen, it was not even the DFA that shouldered and processed the repatriation.  Carmen’s family sought the help of Taguig Rep. Freddie Tinga who brought the case to the DFA’s attention. “Kung hindi pa sa tulong na naman ng third party malamang ay pinagpasa-pasahan na naman ng DFA ang pamilya,” he said.

 

Martinez criticized the DFA for its “grave neglect” and called on the Aquino administration to give appropriate attention to the immediate return of the remains of OFWs in Iran morgues.

 

He also said that the Aquino administration should also prioritize the repatriation of at least 10,000 OFWs stranded in Kish Island. “Huwag na naman sanang hintayin ng gobyerno na maging malamig na bangkay na rin ang ating mga kababayan doon bago pa sila mapauwi rito.”

 

Carmen’s remains were brought to Western Taguig for his wake. He is survived by his wife, Baican, and two children.

 

 

Migrant group stands by the information about starving of jailed OFW

 

 

After exposing to the media the deplorable plight of a jailed OFW in Saudi prison few weeks back which the RP post in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia denied based on its issued statement, Migrante-Middle East said it stands by the information that OFW Joselito Zapanta has been starved in Malaz Central jail.

 

“Upon hearing the miserable plight of OFW Joselito Zapanta as his family sought our assistance, we have urged the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh to visit him, look unto his condition and provide the necessary assistance. We stand by the information given to us by his family that he has been starved after being beaten few weeks ago,” said John Leonard Monterona, Migrante-Middle East regional coordinator.

 

Monterona said that his group in fact investigated the report of his miserable condition inside the jail as OFW Zapanta has been telling his family via short messages and long distance calls that he has been manhandled and that not given food inside jail.

 

“Two days ago another fellow jailed OFW, Robert Lazarte called me asking for assistance to follow his case with RP embassy staff; I have asked him if he knew Joselito Zapanta. He said he has heard of him complaining too about lack of food, but he belongs to other prison cell, not on cell no.15,” Monterona quoted Lazarte.

 

Monterona said not only OFW Zapanta is complaining but as well other jailed OFWs inside Malaz Central jail about lack of food and toiletries for their daily used.

 

Monterona said it is expected that the RP post will strongly deny the miserable condition of OFW Zapanta and the other 70+ jailed OFWs in prison cell no.15. He added there are about more than 50 plus jailed OFWs in other cells at the Malaz Central jail.

 

Monterona also deplores the RP post by diverting the issue of neglecting jailed OFWs such as Zapanta and Lazarte. The RP embassy on a report said “publicity” will jeopardize Zapanta getting a clemency from the victim’s family.

 

“We are not discussing the criminal case of OFW Zapanta in public, we are merely asking the RP post to do its job by conducting regular visit so that they should know the deplorable conditions of our jailed OFWs for humanitarian consideration as they complained to us lack of food, water and toiletries,” Monterona added.

 

Monterona said he will not be surprised if one day the RP post would say that OFW Zapanta and the other jailed OFWs in prison cell are starving because they are now Muslim converts and that need to have fasting.

 

“Mid-August is the start of the Holy month of Ramadan, then it would be easy for the RP embassy to justify not the give them food and water,” Monterona added.

 

“We would like to remind our Embassy, Consular and Labor officials that they are duty bound to provide assistance to OFWs especially those who are in trouble, Migrante officers and members are here to remind them and ever ready to even extend assistance to run away, distress OFWs as this is our commitment in serving our fellow OFWs.” Monterona ended. # # # 

 

 

University of the Philippines National Engineering Center Seminars

University of the Philippines National Engineering Center Seminars

 Industrial Lubrication and Tribology

 The National Engineering Center will be conducting a seminar on Industrial Lubrication and Tribology on August 11-13 2010. The course is designed to orient and upgrade the skills of engineers and technicians on effective lubrication management program and at the same time answers the basic concerns of local industries on the area of maintenance. The target participants of this seminar are the maintenance supervisors, engineers and planners, lubrication engineers and facility engineers with background on BS Electrical or Mechanical Engineering or equivalent combination of academic and work experience. Seminar fee is at P13,000 inclusive of course materials, certificate, lunch and snacks. For further details please contact 922-4714 or email us at nec.training@up.edu.ph and/or visit us on our website www.upnec.com

 Analytical Methods and Materials Testing

The National Engineering Center will be conducting a seminar on Analytical Methods and Materials Testing on August 17-18, 2010. The training course covers the basic principles and utilization of different analytical techniques used in materials testing and characterization. These techniques include optical and scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, metallography, hardness testing, thermal analysis, and particle size analysis. The seminar objective is to provide participants with the basic knowledge on the use of the different analytical techniques in materials testing and characterization. The course is designed for people who are directly and indirectly involved in materials science and engineering activities in the academe, testing and analytical services, research and development offices and manufacturing industry. Seminar fee is at P9,500 inclusive of course materials, certificate, lunch and snacks. For further details please contact 922-4714 or email us at nec.training@up.edu.ph and/or visit us on our website www.upnec.com

 Materials and Process Quality Control in Construction

The National Engineering Center will be conducting a seminar on Materials and Process Quality Control in Construction on August 24-26, 2010. The seminar aims to 1) discuss the testing procedures for different construction materials 2) provide the participants with concepts of quality control in construction materials 3) Familiarize the participants with the task and responsibilities involved in materials sampling testing.  The course is designed for material testing engineers/Supervisors, quality control engineers/Supervisors, Construction Inspectors and faculty members. Seminar fee is at P13,000 inclusive of course materials, certificate, lunch and snacks. For further details please contact 922-4714 or email us at nec.training@up.edu.ph and/or visit us on our website www.upnec.com

Structured Cabling System Design

The National Engineering Center will be conducting a seminar on Structured Cabling System Design on August 246-27, 2010. The seminar aims to 1) become familiar with SCS technology 2) learn understand SCS design guidelines, considerations, and standards 3) Know the steps and procedures in designing SCS and practical application.  The course is designed for B.S degree in Electronics and Communications Engineering, Electrical Engineering or allied fields with experience in inside and outside plant telecommunications systems. Seminar fee is at P13,000 inclusive of course materials, certificate, lunch and snacks. For further details please contact 922-4714 or email us at nec.training@up.edu.ph and/or visit us on our website www.upnec.com

Other NEC Seminars this August to October 2010

Online Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Web Mapping August 17-19, 2010

Maintenance of Rotating Machines, September 8-10, 2010

Soil and Land Capability Mapping and Assessment, September 13-17 2010

Project Management in the Construction Industry, October 6-8, 2010

Modern Mapping Technologies for Environment and Natural Resource Management October 12-15, 2010

Energy-Efficient Lighting System Design for Architects and Engineers, TBA

Power Electronics: Switch Mode Power Supply Principles and Applications, TBA