REPRESENTATIVES of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines-Misamis Oriental (IBP-MisOr) Chapter was in Hong Kong last October 7 to 8 to provide free legal aid and advice to Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), an official of the organization said.
"For the first time the IBP Misamis Oriental ug ang IBP Eastern Mindanao, including IBP Davao and IBP Bukidnon, ni-join ta sa (we joined the) IBP Hong Kong Legal Aid Mission with IBP Central Luzon," lawyer Eddie Cuaresma, IBP-MisOr president, said, adding that there were nine lawyers in IBP MisOr, five in IBP Bukidnon, more than 10 in IBP-Davao and more than 20 in IBP Luzon.
Lawyer Janeth Nuñez, IBP-MisOr auditor, said the IBP Hong Kong Legal Aid Mission, which is on its fifth year, is a project originally conducted by the IBP Central Luzon.
Cuaresma said the IBP-MisOr was able to give legal advice to more or less 1,000 OFWs who went to the office of the Consulate General of the Philippines in Hong Kong.
"Pero ang tinuod na istorya naa sa Central Park, libo-libo nga mga OFWs, katong wala nangadto sa opisina (But the truth is, there are thousands of OFWs gathered in Central Park, those OFWs weren't able to go to the Consulate office)," Cuaresma said.
He also added that most, if not all, of the workers in the said country were female.
Nuñez said the problems that the domestic workers commonly experienced were marriage annulment, support, and property.
"Actually, ang schedule gyud namo is to give a lecture on marriage, annulment, support and property because those are the common nga mga issues nila," Nunez said.
Cuaresma added that drugs and problems related to loans are special cases.
Lawyer Cancio Nicanor Guibone Jr., the vice president of IBP-MisOr, said his experience during the legal aid mission was fulfilling.
"Kanang makatabang ka sa imong kababayan, in a foreign land, fulfilling kaayo. Ayha pa ko namulat sa sigig istorya nga 'bagong bayani' (Helping the countrymen who are in the foreign land is fulfilling. I just discovered what 'new heroes' mean)," Guibone said.
Nuñez said they were hoping that the free legal aid project would be institutionalized and there will be IBP chapters that will adopt countries to give legal assistance.
"Like for example, Saudi, naay chapter nga mo-cater ana (there will be an IBP chapter that will cater to them). That it will be a bi-annual nga project, twice a year makaadto didto to give assistance (there will be people who will be sent in the country and give assistance)," Nuñez said.
On October 25 and 26, 2018, the IBP-MisOr will be hosting the Mindanao Lawyers Convention in Cagayan de Oro City.
IBP is the official organization of all Philippine lawyers whose names appear in the Roll of Attorneys of the Supreme Court. It has been undertaking activities aimed at elevating the standards of the legal profession, improving the administration of justice, and enabling the bar to discharge its public responsibility more effectively.