Tuesday, February 26, 2008 Illegal Pinoy workers in Jordan rise
THE number of undocumented Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) working in Jordan continues to increase, the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) reported.
Quoting a report from Amman-based Labor Attache Henry Parel, Labor Secretary Arturo Brion said that out of the 236 OFWs who are staying temporarily at the Filipino Workers Resource Centers (FWRCs) in Amman, Jordan last month, about 180 are found undocumented and only 55 were properly documented.
Brion said in December 2007, there are 170 undocumented Filipinos that took refuge at the FWRC also known as Bahay Kalinga. Majority of the distressed OFWs that took refuge to the resource center are domestic helpers.
With the number of OFWs entering and working in Jordan illegally continue to rise, Brion again reiterates his calls for Filipinos to make sure that they are properly documented once they leave the country for an overseas jobs.
"I appealed once again to workers to check first with the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) the existence of job orders in Dubai and other places abroad for any offer they may get from agencies and not to leave the country without proper documents," he said.
Brion, through the POEA, suspended the deployment of OFWs to Jordan last month due to rising cases of distressed OFWs. In 2007, a total of 775 documented and undocumented distressed OFWs that were assisted by the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (Polo) in Amman and the assistance included repatriating OFWs to the Philippines as well as extending medical assistance.
The labor chief said the suspension should warn OFWs not be enticed to work as household service workers in Jordan by unscrupulous individuals and agencies without the acquisition of proper documents such as job contracts and work visa.
"The suspension means that no OFW is allowed to work in Jordan as a household service worker," he said.
Brion also warned the Filipino workers from dealing with agencies offering assistance to those who aim for jobs in Dubai without the necessary employment contracts.
He said workers seeking employment with only tourist visas abroad are putting themselves at great risk even in top destinations like Dubai.
"Undocumented workers are more vulnerable to abuse and exploitation since there are no contracts to bind their employers with responsibilities and corresponding liabilities that usually go with legitimate employment contracts," lamented Brion.
The deployment ban in Jordan only covers the newly hired OFWs since returning workers who do not have problems with their employers are allowed to return to Jordan and complete their contract.
In 1990, the labor department suspended the deployment of OFWs to Jordan due to high cases of maltreatment and exploitation committed among the Filipino domestic helpers.
However, in 2005, the Dole, through then labor secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas, ordered the lifting of the deployment ban with the opening of a Polo in Amman and the implementation of a "special work contract" which provides for a liberal welfare provisions for the foreign household service workers. (MSN/Sunnex)
