|
Sunday, April 18, 2004
Cervantes: Pity the OFWs
By Ding Cervantes
A GROUP representing overseas Filipino workers (OFW) voiced objection here Saturday to the reported reclassification of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) from a "quasi-government agency" keeping in trust some P6.2 billion contributions of OFW's, to a "full fledged government agency".
"Budget Sec. (Emilia) Boncodin wrote OWWA last February to point out that the agency should be classified not as a quasi government office but a full fledged national government agency whose funds, including the trust fund, would therefore be at government disposal," said John Monterona, executive board member of the OFW group Migrante, in a press briefing here.
Monterona said that the trust fund used to be deposited with the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP), but inquiries showed that the amount seemed to have been moved elsewhere. "We are seeking a mandamus from the Supreme Court to find out where the money is now," he said, adding that of the amount, some P500 million had been allocated for Malacanang's national livelihood support fund last October.
"That trust fund is money merely entrusted by the OFW's to the government," Monterona said.
He noted, however, that Labor Sec. Patricia Sto. Tomas earlier denied that the trust fund had been deposited elsewhere. The trust fund, he said, is supposed to be used for medicare, various loans, and post high school scholarships for the families of OFW's.
"The reclassification of Owwa would mean that the trust fund can now be used by the government for other purposes, and we do not want this to happen," Monterona stressed.
At the same time, Monterona also decried alleged moves to transfer some P4.2 billion of OFW medicare fund to PhilHealth agency which, he claimed, is now being used for political purposes.
"These funds were contributed by OFW's who now number about 7.2 million all over the world, including migrant workers," Monterona said. About one million of them are in the Middle East, some 700,000 in Hong Kong, and two million in the United States, including "green card" holders who remit dollars to their relatives in the Philippines.
He also said that in the recent weeks, Owwa has suspended the granting of calamity, burial, and livelihood loans for OFW families. "We are not aware of the reason for this, but the OFW's are complaining," he said.
Monterona also said aired the protest of OFW's over the change in government policies on their entitlement to benefits from their trust fund. "Since September last year, only those who were able to pay $25 membership fee to the OWWA and have remained actively employed abroad could be entitled to loans and other benefits," he said.
He noted that before this policy was adopted, returning OFW's who decided to retire and stay with their families in the Philippines could still avail of such benefits for as long as he had paid the membership fee at one time.
"Under the present policy, OFW's have to pay $25 membership fee whose maximum effectivity is two years. If the working contract of the OFW is only for six months, the benefits would last only for six months and would be restored only if he again pays another $25 for yet another job contract abroad," Monterona explained.
"It seems that our OFW's are not only modern day heroes. They have also become modern-day slaves," he added.
Monterona noted that in the first quarter of this year alone, OFW's remitted some $7.2 billion, higher than the $6.9 billion in the last quarter of 2003. "This is probably because more and more Filipinos are leaving for jobs abroad," he said.
(April 18, 2004 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here. |
|
[return to top]
[home]
[network page]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
|
