Illegal Recruitment, Abuses, and Localization of Hiring Burden OFWs

Share trainings

At the said conference, Brion called on host countries to share their education and training to OFWs, saying that Filipino migrant workers contribute to the economic development of their host countries from the education and training they acquired in the Philippines.

Brion said said that these countries of destination share with the Philippines part of the burden in the training and education of OFWs to ensure that needed skills are continually replenished.

Saying Brion is dreaming, Migrante-Saudi Arabia chairperson A.M. Ociones said that host governments would rather spend huge amounts of money for the education and training of their own labor force rather than that of foreign workers.

Ociones cited the “Saudization” Program of Saudi Arabia, a policy that prioritizes Saudi nationals in the hiring of workers in the country. Several other Middle Eastern Countries especially the members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), such as Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain, are gradually implementing policies of hiring their own nationals as part of their local employment strengthening & capability-building program, said Ociones.

Illegal recruitment

Brion also bragged that the Philippines scored high in its drive against illegal recruitment.

He said the Philippines is already a step ahead among countries of origin in the management of labor mobility. With a whole cycle of protection, Brion said, the protection of OFWs starts before they are deployed and continues onsite abroad and upon their return to the country.

Despite efforts, cases of illegal recruitment continue to rise.

In 2006, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) documented 316 cases of illegal recruitment, as against 250 in 2005.

Meanwhile, from January to October of 2007 alone, there were 132 establishments that were caught conducting illegal recruitment activities, victimizing 850 desperate job seekers, mostly residents of Metro Manila. These cases do not yet include the eight Filipino women who were rescued from a prostitution den in Malaysia. The POEA also said it assisted 4,347 complainants in the filing of administrative charges against several licensed recruitment agencies for pre-employment and recruitment violations, 292 complainants against employers that were meted disciplinary actions, and 292 complaints against workers.

Identified as the top countries of deployment by illegal recruiters were South Korea, Spain, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and the United States. They deploy mostly for positions of factory workers, hotel staff, housekeepers, caregivers, and domestic helpers.

Ratify UN Convention on Migrants

For Middle East-based migrants groups, one important aspect that the Arroyo government should work on is to persuade governments in the Middle East to ratify the United Nations Convention for the Protection of Migrant Workers and Members of their Families.

The United Nations Conventions on the Protection of Migrant Workers and Members of their Families came into force on March 14, 2003 after 20 countries, including the Philippines, ratified it as a component of respect for Human Rights.

“Sad to say, no Middle Eastern Governments have ratified and signed the UN Conventions on the Protection of Migrant Workers,” said Migrante-Riyadh coordinator Mario Ben. “Thus, it is no surprise that Middle Eastern Governments and employers have little or no concern regarding respect to migrant rights.”

Instead of systematically marketing skilled workers for low-paying jobs without a clear blueprint for migrants’ safety and protection signed between the Philippines and the host country, Migrante-Dubai spokesperson Nhel Morona said, the Arroyo government should be “educating host governments and employers of host countries about respect for Migrant Workers rights and welfare to lessen cases of maltreatment, unfair labor practices, and sexual attacks against our overseas workers.” (Bulatlat.com)