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MANILA, Philippines--An alliance of Filipino migrant groups called on the Arroyo administration on Sunday to use the government's annual P100-million repatriation fund to help overseas Filipino workers who had been laid off due to the global financial crisis.
Migrante International said the number of undocumented OFWs abroad could drastically increase as many of them could not even afford to pay their airfare back home and might remain in their host countries illegally.
?With the government's continued refusal to release repatriation funds as stated in the law, we can expect the numbers of undocumented migrants to dramatically increase by early next year,? Migrante chair Garry Martinez said in a statement.
Migrante said OFWs who were recently retrenched from their jobs in Taiwan were asked by the Manila Economic Cultural Office, which represents Philippine affairs on the island, to shoulder their fare as it was unable to compel employers and recruitment agencies to pay for the expenses as provided by law.
"We have received reports from our chapter in Taiwan that most of those recently retrenched from 21 companies in Taiwan were forced to stay beyond the expiration date of their visas because they have no money to pay for their airfare. Thus, they will now be considered as illegals and will have to suffer the consequences," Martinez added.
He pointed out that Republic Act No. 8042 or the Magna Carta for Overseas Filipinos, provided for the annual allocation of P100 million just for the repatriation of distressed OFWs. The law was enacted in 1995 after the hanging of Flor Contemplacion, a domestic helper in Singapore.
Migrante's Middle East chapter said the government could use the repatriation fund to help seven OFWs stranded in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
John Leonard Monterona, Migrante-ME regional coordinator, said the OFWs could not go home because their employer Annasban, a local outsourcing company, refused to give them vacation leave, despite the fact that the OFWs already completed their 24-month contracts and even agreed to continue working.
When their request for a vacation was denied, the OFWs decided to stop working last month in protest.
Migrante identified the stranded OFWs as Ruth Gayadan, Fely Chicay, Ruby Hipolito, Maricar Espeleta, Jassie Sanson, Claire Veloria, Jeanette Belino, Lorna Quizon and Nhoormalah Dimaampo.
