OFWs demand agencies suspended, kins repatriated

Former overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and relatives of Filipino worker’s abroad trooped to the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) on Thursday to demand the suspension of recruitment agencies.

“Nandito kami ngayon sa POEA para samahan ang kamag-anak ng mga OFWs na dapat nang i-repatriate kasi marami sa mga kamag-anak nila ang nag-file na ng repatriation request noong pang July hanggang December 2015; hanggang ngayon, wala pa,” Marra Macaspac of labor group Migrante said.

The labor group joined the call of OFWS and their families in urging the POEA to suspend the recruitment agencies of maltreated OFWs.

Pitchie Asarcon, an OFW, recounted the distress she and other Filipino workers experienced abroad.

“Para po bigyan ng katarungan at hustiya yung mga nangyari po sa akin at sa iba pa pong pamilya at OFW na kapwa ko nakakaranas ng hirap sa deportation at sa kanilang mga amo,” Asarcon said.

“Sana po bigyan niyo kami ng pagkakataon na maipkaita namin na ang pinagdadaanan naming hirap ay di po ganun-ganon lang,” she added.

Jesus Gabriel Domingo, deputy administrator of the POEA, vowed to the OFWs and their family that the agency would look into the plights of distressed Filipino workers.

“Tututukan po namain and we will notify the Polo (Philippine Overseas Labor Office), the agencies, regarding this (issue), para ma-ensure namin na protektado ang interes nila (OFW) saka makabalik sila agad dito,” Domingo said.

The POEA official assured OFWs and their families that the POEA would extend help to them.

“We will use all the available means under the law for their immediate repatriation,” he said.