OFW

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has signed into law a measure creating the Office for Social Welfare Attache to help overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), especially those who are victims of illegal recruitment.

THE Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles has advised Filipinos about their rights and what to do in case US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents appear at their doorsteps.

SEVENTEEN displaced overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), including 11 children arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on board a Philippine Airlines flight from Haiti yesterday.

“I am very thankful to the Illegal Residency Monitoring and Immigration Departments of Kuwait’s Ministry of Interior for the invaluable assistance they have provided the Embassy. I would also like to thank the dynamic and resilient officers and staff of the Philippine Embassy for their commitment and dedication in making EARP successful,” Chargé d’Affaires, a.i. Mohd. Noordin Pendosina N. Lomondot said in a statement.

“Bawal na ‘yang recruitment diyan sa labas (outside recruitment will no longer be allowed)... that kind of mechanism of recruiting Filipino workers abroad has been abused and abused and abused. Mga kababayan ko puro biktima, puro kawawa (my countrymen are the poor victims),” he said.

AT the celebration of Araw ng Pasasalamat sa OFW Summit in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City, on Friday, President Rodrigo Duterte expressed his support for the proposal to establish a separate executive department for Overseas Filipinos particularly OFWs to protect Filipino migrant workers from abusive illegal recruiters.

In view of the continuous rise in tensions within the region, the Philippine government once again reiterates its call to all parties to exercise calm, patience and restraint, and resolve differences through peaceful dialogue and consultations to prevent further regrettable incidents from occurring, the DFA said.

According to initial reports, the explosions involved a suicide bomber and a car bomb that were detonated one after the other near the French Embassy and the headquarters of the Anti-Terrorist Police.

“The government of Israel attaches a great significance to the working conditions of the Filipino workers and it was demonstrated by the signing of the historical bilateral labor agreement between the two countries which intends to improve the rights of the OFWs and dramatically reduce the placement fees,” it added.

THE Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) appealed to the Israeli government to treat the overstaying Filipinos humanely even as the Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv is coordinating with the Population and Border Authority (PIBA) to facilitate the repatriation of overstaying Filipinos and their families.

“This agreement, aside from providing better opportunities, is geared toward ensuring their protection by means of implementing a basic framework that will promote smooth and proper mechanisms in sending, accepting, and residence management of incoming specified skilled workers in Japan,” he said.

OVERSEAS Filipino workers (OFWs) are projected to pay up to $3.2 billion in bank remittance charges this year to send home $29.8 billion in cash, ACTS-OFW party-list said on Sunday.

“The proposed labor agreement between the Philippines and Russia for the protection of overseas Filipino workers is an ongoing process. Talks are continuing. We are looking at a simple but an implementable instrument that observes the migration regime of both countries,” the DoLE said.

Filipinos in Hong Kong were advised to remain vigilant and exercise extreme caution due to mass protests over an extradition bill being pushed in the administrative region that critics said would violate the territory’s autonomy.

THE Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) yesterday said no Filipino was injured when a missile hit the Abha International Airport in southwestern Saudi Arabia on June 12.