OWWA - ARMM cautions overseas workers vs. direct hiring scheme

• Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?nid=2&rid=923519
• Friday, September 16, 2016

By Noel Y. Punzalan [(PNA), FPV/NYP]

COTABATO CITY, Aug. 16 (PNA) -- To ensure work documents are processed properly and in accordance with standards set by their employers, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration - Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (OWWA - ARMM) has urged its overseas work applicants to avoid ‘direct hiring’ schemes and engage only with legitimate recruitment agencies.

Odin Abdula, OWWA-ARMM’s programs and services division chief, stressed such Friday as he reiterated that prospective overseas workers should transact only with licensed agencies duly accredited by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration.

The advice came about following reports of rampant labor violations committed by employers, mostly in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, in the Middle East.

Abdula said workers hired through legitimate agencies are assured of support as parallel efforts between foreign agencies or employers overseas and that of the government are done to address concerns of deployed workers.

The direct hiring scheme, however, limits Philippine overseas labor officers to immediately respond to problems of workers due to the absence of a legitimate agency compounded further by stringent labor laws carried out by the host country.

“We usually remind recruitment agencies based in Manila and foreign agencies or employers overseas of their liability under Republic Act 8042 as amended by Republic Act 10022, otherwise known as the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995,” said Abdula.

This law protects and promotes the welfare of migrant workers including their families and provides immediate assistance to overseas Filipinos in distress.

Abdula noted that some 90 percent of cases involving overseas household service workers from the region ranges from maltreatment, sexual and physical abuses, as well as underpaid and unpaid salaries.

The remaining 10 percent represents skilled or low-skilled company workers' complaints of illegal termination.

In July this year, the OWWA-ARMM responded to a total of 77 welfare cases involving five male company workers and 72 female household service overseas workers.

As of last month, the number of welfare cases rose to 152 involving 37 male and 115 female workers due to the crisis in Saudi Arabia wherein some companies suffered financial setbacks and thus have to resort to retrenchment.

On cases of repatriation, Abdula stressed that four repatriated workers have sought help from OWWA-ARMM. These workers are still in Saudi Arabia working for the release of their unpaid salaries and end-of-service benefits.

Workers planning to work overseas are advised to undergo a pre-orientation seminar offered online even while their papers are still being processed.

“Do not go abroad if not through a legitimate agency. There are agencies whose license to operate are cancelled but still accepting documents for prospective OFWs,” Abdula cautioned.