MANILA, Philippines – A non-government organization working for the interest and welfare of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) denounced a recent advisory issued by a government agency which urged OFWs deployed in Taiwan to accept reduced salaries even below the minimum wage as long as there is a contract.
Migrante International, a militant support group for the OFWs, said the advisory was issued the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (Meco) in Taiwan and signed by its head Tom Alcantara, the former undersecretary in the Department of Trade and Industry.
The Philippine government maintains Meco, a “semi-private agency” in Taiwan to promote economic and cultural cooperation in the absence of formal diplomatic relations.because Manila recognizes a “one China” policy.
Gary Martinez, the Migrante chairman, said the Meco advisory would not protect the rights and welfare of OFWs in Taiwan as he pointed out:
“This is a complete sell-out. It is sufficient proof that Meco, and for that matter, the Arroyo administration, have no intention to protect the economic and labor rights of OFWs affected by the global economic and financial meltdown.”
Latest data from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration revealed that Taiwan also accounts for the bulk, or more than 4,000 of the 5,500 OFWs who were retrenched from their jobs due to the crisis.
In its advisory, Martinez said Meco cited the policy of Taiwan’s Council of Labor Affairs (CLA) that allows Taiwanese affected by the global crisis to practice flexible labor arrangements such as reduced working hours or salaries.
However, Martinez pointed out that Minister Ju-hsuan Wan, the CLA chairman, has issued a statement that the monthly payments for workers could not be lower than the minimum wage.
He said that instead of insisting that the international labor standards be strictly implemented, the Philippine government, through Meco, seems to “meekly” accept the terms that will make the lives of OFWs in Taiwan more miserable.
With its advisory, Meco appears to be more concerned with the dollar remittances of the OFWs in Taiwan, according to Martinez.
The Migrante head added the Meco assistance teams to Taiwan were actually sent to convince the OFWs to just accept the terms, no matter how exploitative.
Martinez compared this to the plight of a woman OFW, identified as Jennifer Bidoya, in which the government sent only a translator during court hearings in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, instead of a defense lawyer.
As a result, Bidoya lost her case in 2008 and was consequently beheaded, Martinez lamented.
Martinez also denounced the Arroyo administration for “selling Filipino labor at the expense of their rights and welfare in its desperate attempt to ensure the continuous flow of remittances to save the economy” now being buffeted by the deepening global economic crunch.
He said Migrante will tackle the plight of OFWs affected by the crisis during the internationally-coordinated protest to be held on March 17, the 14th death anniversary of Flor Contemplacion.
Contemplacion was the Filipino domestic helper who was hanged by the Singapore government during the term of then president Fidel Ramos after she was convicted of murder for the killing of another Filipino housemaid and a Singaporean boy.
Loading ...
Reader’s Views