OFWs told not to overstay in South Korea

MANILA -- The Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) urged Wednesday the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in South Korea not to overstay or become illegal in the host country as this would result in the reduction of quota for Filipino workers.

"I appeal to our OFWs in Korea to preserve the positive image of the Filipino Employment Permit System (EPS) workers for the Philippines to continue to enjoy a good share of the demand for foreign workers in Korea and not ruin the good chances of other Filipinos desiring to get good jobs under the EPS," Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said.

She made the appeal as the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (Polo) in Korea and the Human Resource Development (HRD) Korea has reported the increase of the Philippines' record of illegal EPS workers in that country.

With this, Baldoz ordered the Polo in Korea and the Philippines, as well as the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) to immediately undertake measures or interventions that would address this negative concern to both the sending and receiving countries.

For his part, POEA Administrator Hans Leo Cacdac said the POEA will start to implement a Letter of Undertaking by departing EPS workers to deter them from going illegal under pain of sanctions based on the Code of Discipline.

Cacdac said the POEA will also embark on a massive information dissemination campaign warning EPS workers from going illegal, as the increase in the illegal population of Filipinos has contributed to the reduction of labor quota for the Philippines, in accordance with the provision on the effect of illegal stay in deciding the labor quota under the EPS Memorandum of Understanding between the Philippines and South Korea.

"I reiterate to voluntary returnees under the EPS the positive effect of their voluntary return during the registration for the Computer-Based Topik. The CBT will give them another chance to return and work under the EPS Korea, in contrast to illegal/overstayers who are barred from working under EPS," Cacdac said.

The POEA chief said that in coordination with POLO Korea, an advocacy campaign to the Filipino community in Korea will be launched informing them of the Philippine implementation of the CBT EPS Topik to help encourage EPS workers to return after the end of their sojourn in Korea.

Cacdac said a stern warning against illegal stay is being emphasized in the preliminary and pre-flight briefing of EPS workers.

"Let us reduce the number of Filipino irregular workers in Korea so we can have a higher quota next year," he said.

The Philippines has deployed some 30,000 workers to Korea since 2004, mostly in the country's manufacturing sector. (SDR/Sunnex)