Come home, bishops urge OFWs who may face persecution

MANILA, Philippines–Catholic bishops have appealed to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in countries where Christians are persecuted to avail themselves of the government’s offer of repatriation and come home.

“I hope that OFWs will be endowed with the wisdom to think of their lives and well-being ahead of the opportunity to earn money,” said Bishop Ruperto Santos of the Diocese of Balanga, chair of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines-Episcopal Commission on Migrant and Itinerant People (CBCP-ECMIP).

Santos, in a post on the CBCP website, said his office had teamed up with the Department of Foreign Affairs in an effort to persuade OFWs in countries like Libya, Syria and Yemen to take advantage of the government’s offer of repatriation.

“In a conflict-ridden country like Libya, we have more or less 4,000 countrymen working in oil fields, hospitals and medical facilities to whom this offer of repatriation is being extended. Unfortunately, only a few want to take the flight home,” he said.

But he said officials of the Philippine Embassy in Syria had talked to 5,000 to 6,000 Filipino migrant workers about responding positively to the repatriation option, while in Yemen roughly 1,000 Filipinos are awaiting the government’s crisis management team.

Remain in the country

Santos reaffirmed the position of the CBCP-ECMIP that Filipinos should remain in the Philippines to work, instead of having to seek greener pastures elsewhere at great sacrifice to their families.

“As we celebrate the 29th National Migrants Sunday, we would like to highlight the beauty of family members staying together, united in their love with one another,” he said.

While he admitted that there was nothing the Church could do at the moment to stop Filipinos from leaving their loved ones and the country for higher-paying overseas employment, Santos lauded OFWs for their selflessness and the sacrifices they make to give the best life possible to their families, as well as the dollar remittances they send back home which keep the Philippine economy afloat.