32 distressed Filipinos repatriated from Malaysia

Thirty-two distressed Filipinos, escorted by the Embassy’s Assistance-to-Nationals (ATN) officers, wait for their turn in the biometric taking and registration for amnesty at the Immigration Department Headquarters in Putrajaya, Malaysia.

MANILA, Philippines—Thirty-two distressed Filipinos, mostly women, were repatriated from Malaysia, the Department of Foreign Affairs said.

The Filipinos, consisting of 24 women and eight men, complained mostly about the non-issuance of work permits, non-payment or underpayment of salaries, and non-compliance of the terms and conditions of their employment, the DFA said.

One of the Filipinos sent home on August 17 is a woman suffering from a bipolar disorder, the DFA said, quoting a report of the Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur

“The embassy provided appropriate assistance to the Filipinos while they were in Kuala Lumpur. The distressed Filipino male nationals were sheltered at the embassy compound while the women were housed at the Filipino Workers Resource Center since July 2011,” said the DFA.

For the 32 Filipinos, the embassy availed of Malaysia’s amnesty program for undocumented migrants being implemented by Ministry of Home Affairs and the Immigration Department.

Malaysia’s Total Package Program aims to legalize undocumented nationals from 14 source countries, including the Philippines.

The progam began on July 18 and is composed of six stages: registration, legalization or the issuance of work permit, amnety or the repatriation of the national without prosecution, imprisonment or imposition of fine, monitoring, enforcement and deportation.

The Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur started issuing travel documents to overstaying Filipino nationals who want to avail of the amnesty program on July 11.

To date, the embassy has issued a total of 800 travel documents.