OFWs in professional sector must also be protected — Gatchalian

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Sunday said that the Philippine government must also consider the abuses happening to professional workers abroad.

After the call of President Rodrigo Duterte to have a deployment ban in Kuwait, Sen. Gatchalian said that the government should also look after the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the professional field.

“Itong mga ganitong pang-aabuso, madalas sa mga domestic workers ‘yan; but we cannot isolate the fact na mayroon ding mga professional or iba pang OFW natin na nasa professional sector ang nabibiktima rin,” Gatchalian said over an interview with dzBb.

(This abuse is usually experienced by domestic workers, but we cannot isolate the fact that there are also professionals or other OFWs who are in the professional sector who also fall victim to this abuse.)

Gatchalian further recalled that when he visited the Philippine Embassy in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, he immediately notice the difference of treatment between men and women.

“Yung mga ganitong bagay ay dapat ring tingnan at hindi naman ito limitado sa mga domestic helpers, kundi puwede ding maabuso yung mga others workers natin,” Gatchalian said.

(We must also consider these things and it’s not limited to domestic helpers; our other workers may also be abused.)

“So tingnan din natin yung statistical kung sino-sino ba yung mga taong naaabuso,” the senator added.

(So let’s see the statistics on those who are subject to abuse.)

On Friday, Duterte warned the Kuwaiti government to protect the OFW or a deployment ban would be implemented as the body of a Filipino woman was found inside a freezer.

“We do not intend to offend any government or anyone, but if ban is what is needed, then let it be so. The ban continues today, I don’t know up to what time. I declared it early this morning. P*t*ng *na, hindi ko na masikmura (I can’t stomach it anymore). It is totally unacceptable to me,” Duterte said. /je

READ: Duterte to Kuwaiti gov’t: Protect our OFWs or deployment ban continues