DMW firms up OFW protection; forges more bilateral pacts

MANILA: The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) is firming up its policies to strengthen the protection of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) as it forged more bilateral agreements with countries of destination. During the Post-SONA (State of the Nation Address) discussion with the Education and Workers Welfare Development sector in Pasay City on Wednesday, Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said DMW has made important strides in terms of the country's bilateral relations. Since his first SONA, Cacdac said the president has always been clear about his position to protect all OFWs. Thus, the department has embarked on a series of discussions and agreements primarily with Saudi Arabia, the host country having the most number of OFWs, to improve its standards of protection. Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority revealed that as of 2022, of the total 1.96 million OFWs, about 23.0 percent worked in Saudi Arabia, followed by the United Arab Emirates at 13.7 percent. 'Saudi Arabia with the reopenin g of the domestic worker market especially the standard contract has been reviewed to provide stronger protection for domestic workers in terms of providing safer standard, safer living and working conditions at home in their employer households,' Cacdac said. The department is looking into a live-out arrangement for domestic workers, who are most vulnerable when staying with their employers. Also, proper insurance which includes health coverage and wage protection is being integrated into the arrangement. Whitelisting and blacklisting of recruitment agencies both in the country and in Saudi Arabia are being implemented to make sure that only those with good track records would be able to recruit and deploy Filipino domestic workers. Other Middle Eastern countries Aside from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the DMW has opened the line of bilateral labor relations and cordial discussions with other top destination countries for OFWs in the Middle East such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait, and Qatar. Cacdac said that the DMW, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), just concluded its recent joint committee meeting with UAE which will pave the way for stronger protection for OFWs. In Kuwait, Cacdac said the DMW already made corresponding issuances with the resumption of deployment of OFWs, assuring proper standards of protection by allowing only the deployment of those who have previous overseas employment. The agency will soon meet with Qatar to discuss arrangements to better protect OFWs. Other bilateral partners Meanwhile, the Philippines has opened other possible bilateral partnerships with Central and Eastern European countries that have opened their job markets for foreigners, including Filipinos. 'We have bilateral discussions and agreements with Austria and of course, the presidential visits to Germany, Hungary, Czech Republic have also opened the avenues of discussion with respect to safe ethical labor mobility of OFWs there,' Cacdac sa id. In Hungary meanwhile, unprecedented 'legitimate' deployment of OFWs has been observed, prompting the department to deepen its bilateral labor relations with the country. Filipino seafarers During President Marcos' third SONA, he highlighted the adoption of the United Nations of the resolution on the protection of seafarers at the UN Human Rights Council. 'This comes timely with the situation on the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden which we had been monitoring since the attacks began in November 2023 that has affected the plight of our seafarers in terms of their protection from armed attacks,' he said. Cacdac said that since the designation of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden as war-like zones, shipowners have been directed to divert their voyages from those routes. The DMW strictly monitors those who still choose to navigate through the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. 'Around 110 Filipino seafarers have already exercised their right to refuse sailing however for those who consented, we monitor their sit uation, we repatriate those who need to be repatriated,' he said. Source: Philippines News Agency