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MANILA, Philippines -- Administrator Jennifer Manalili of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) on Monday said they are reviewing the rules on deployment in preparation for streamlining what recruiters say are the agency’s “too many” requirements.
"We are looking at streamlining the requirements for the recruiters, who complain that there are too many requirements," Manalili said.
She said this is part of the overall review of POEA rules, including the sample contract for departing overseas Filipino workers, which critics say is unconstitutional and violates both international conventions and the Labor Code.
The sample contract under review was formulated to comply with traditions in the Middle East prohibiting the joining or forming of labor unions.
Reacting to Manalili's statement that the contract is under review, the global union Uni-Philippine Labor Council said the POEA should make a "more formal policy statement…assuring us that the Philippine government will insist upon the right of Filipino overseas workers to form or join unions."
"And the Philippine government should be called to account for its anti-union labor migration policy," said Roland Librojo of the Uni-PLC.
Manalili said she hopes the review would be finished by the end of the year. She assured that the review would ensure that OFWs' rights are protected around the world.
"There is an ongoing review of POEA rules and contracts dependent on these rules, both for land-based and sea-based [deployment]," she said.
The POEA chief said the review would also try to harmonize the rules for land-based and sea-based overseas Filipino workers, and put them under one book.
"Right now we have separate rules for land-base and sea-based workers; medyo magulo [it's a little messy]," she said.
"Maybe we can revert to having one set of rules with separate chapters on land-based and sea-based [deployment]," she added.
