MANILA – Several organizations of Filipinos working in Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Hong Kong questioned the proposed Department of Overseas Filipinos (DOFIL), saying such an agency runs counter to President Rodrigo Duterte’s campaign promise.
On Monday, some OFW groups said this move would institutionalize the export of Filipino workers and is the opposite of Duterte’s campaign promise to make migration an option and not a necessity.
Duterte certified as urgent the proposals to create DOFIL in December last year. Its goal is to streamline the processing of OFW requirements and to protect and promote the rights of migrant Filipino workers abroad.
According to Sen. Joel Villanueva, DOFIL would tackle all of the needs of OFWs, from training and recruitment to the reintegration of retiring OFs.
Jasmin Ruas, director of the Domestic Caretaker Union-Taiwan, however, said the proposal does not make sense.
“Hindi ko sinusuportahan, kasi gusto kong umuwi, at gusto kong umuwi na may trabaho akong makukuha sa Pilipinas,” she stressed.
She voiced out that the government should focus on helping the unemployed and underemployed in the country instead. For her group, Ruas said the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration are enough.
Edwin dela Cruz, president of the International Seafarers Action Center, and representative of the Global Council for Migrante International, said the creation of DOFIL “institutionalizes” the export of labor.
He added that DOFIL will require additional funds and may also displace government workers.
“Makasisira po yan ng kabuhayan ng hindi lang ng mga OFW pati mga tao sa gobyerno,” dela Cruz added.
For Joshua Mata, secretary-general of Sentro ng Nagkakaisang Manggagawa, it was unclear what problems DOFIL is supposed to address.
The Senate will continue debates on the proposed department this week.(ABS-CBN)
