Del Rosario: Gov’t on top of hot spots for OFWs

Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario.

Aside from organizing mass emergency evacuations of Filipino migrant workers in protest-wracked Middle East countries, the government has a “standing watch” on Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as Africa where pirates have been preying on ships manned by Filipino seafarers.

This was reported by Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario to the just-concluded First Global Summit of Filipinos in the Diaspora, held last weekend at the PICC on Roxas Boulevard.

Del Rosario outlined for the summit other programs the government has been pursuing for the benefit of overseas Filipinos.

“The government has sought at all levels—nationally, bilaterally, regionally and globally—to secure our nationals to the maximum extent humanly possible. These include imposing temporary labor bans or restrictions, reforming recruitment practices, reducing fees related to overseas employment, cutting remittance costs, and implementing the new minimum wage rate of $400 a month for our domestic workers,” he said.

Del Rosario also said “the government has sought to improve services, especially the issuance of passports and other documentation.”

“In addition, the government has given overseas Filipinos a political presence and voice back home through the provision of dual citizenship and overseas voting,” he said.

“It should be a source of some pride that the Philippines is often regarded as having one of the best migration management systems among all developing nations, covering the whole migration cycle—from predeparture orientation, followed by continuous on-site services and assistance for families left behind to post-return reintegration,” he said.

Advocate of migrant causes

“Though Filipinos form only a small fraction of the total (214 million migrants worldwide), the Philippines has been and will remain a major and respected advocate of migrant causes,” said Del Rosario.

In the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, “the Philippines is at the forefront of promoting cooperation to protect migrant workers and women and children.”

“In the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, we support measures to improve regional labor mobility. In the United Nations, the Philippines was one of the main champions of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of all Migrant Workers and Members of their Families. We continue to press for the universalization of this convention,” said Del Rosario.

In June, the Philippines chaired the International Labor Organization endeavor to adopt a convention on domestic helpers.

“We are now encouraging the ratification of this landmark international instrument around the world,” said Del Rosario.

Del Rosario cited the continued assistance of OFWs to the home country. The over 8.5-million overseas Filipinos have “especially rallied to the motherland during times of great disasters. They send in relief goods, funds and humanitarian assistance missions to help our people in dire straits…The government and all Filipinos look to all our kababayan overseas—whether immigrants, OFWs or students—as our partners in the great task of nation-building,” he said.

Del Rosario also cited “global Filipino remittances,” which he said are “critical to our economy as well are all fully appreciated.”

“The Philippines is the world’s fourth largest recipient of recorded remittances after India, China and Mexico. In the past, nations mobilized the savings of their citizens for national development. Today, the Philippines has the opportunity to do this with the assistance of its diaspora,” he said.