Embassy Slammed!

February 17, 2008  --  Got something to say?
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Labor attache explains OFW rule
WASHINGTON D.C. The Philippine embassy failed us!
This was the lament of Filipino Americans who have faulted the embassy, particularly the office of the labor attach, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration representative and a new so-called Assistance to Nationals (ATN) officer, for not helping the Philippines Modern Day Heroes in distress in the Washington metropolitan area.

Lawyer Arnedo Valera, chair of the Migrant Heritage Commission which has been very active in helping Filipino overseas workers in distress, said these officials have abdicated their role and left everything in the hands of the Filipino American community.

He and other community leaders deplored the fact that while OWWA has billions of pesos to help OFWs, not a single cent was contributed to assist sick or dying workers abroad. They said the latest is the case of Mrs. Nelia Holgado, last years deaths of Filipino teachers in Maryland and the Filipino nurses who face legal problems in New York.

Asked by the Manila Mail to respond to the charge, the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) explained that her office can only assist if it is formally informed about cases involving Overseas Filipino Workers. In her office is Oliver Flores of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration and in the consular section is a new office called Assistance to Nationals (ATN) headed ay lawyer L. Cortel. Recently, Flores and Cortel joined Consul Rico Fos, cultural officer, in attending a meeting of the Baltimore city schools board with some 300 Filipino teachers some of whom are facing non-renewal of contracts.

Ms Herrera, in email answer to the Mails queries, said her office was not aware about the predicament of Mrs. Holgado who was dying of cancer and wanted to go home because it was not informed about her situation.
Ms. Herrera said a phone call is sufficient enough to make the labor attaches office or embassy respond. But she said that for her office to be able to help, the OFW must be a member of OWWA in good standing and the membership must be renewed every year at POLO. In the case of Mrs. Holgado, she is not a registered OWWA member and therefore not entitled to OWWA financial assistance.

In the case of an OWWA member, Ms. Herrera said, he or she must present documents like the passport or photocopy thereof, proof of payment (as member of OWWA if payment was made in the Philippines. She stressed that for an OFW to receive benefits abroad, he or she must be a member of good standing and the membership must be renewed every year at the POLO.

In case of death of an OFW, the procedure for repatriation of the remains is simple, she said. When a death of a member is reported to POLO, POLO in turn reports to the OWWA main office Manila for verification of member status. When membership in good standing is confirmed, the repatriation of remains is approved.
She added that an OWWA member is also covered by life insurance of P100,000 and double if caused by an accident and funeral benefits of up to twenty five pesos will also be paid.

Ms. Herrera said that for assistance to nationals, the office to contact is the Assistance to Nationals (ATN) in the consular section of the embassy. Obviously none in the community knew of the existence of this office.
In the case of Ms Apao, Herrera said that upon verification, Miss Apaos membership expired a year earlier. However, her repatriation was guaranteed by her employment contract with her employer.

Ms Herrera asked the Manila Mail to inform the community as to the steps that have to be taken in case new problems arise among OFWs. I cannot preempt the case that will arise, but we encourage the Filipino community to inform the embassy and the consulate in case of contingency. We can help by way of their membership in a welfare program (like our OWWA) or we can help by collaborating and cooperating with Filipino groups and organizations.

In the case of Mrs. Holgado, it was a Filipina American nurse at the National Institute of Health whol helped her by providing free treatment for her cancer. Failing to draw the embassys attention to her case, the nurse contacted the Filipino American community through MHC.

Mrs. Holgado eventually was able to fly home Jan. 28 with some $6,000 pocket money to spare because the MHC sponsored fund-raisers for her.

Even while her case drew the attention of the community, the embassy failed to assist her, MHC said.
Once again, a Filipino migrant in the U.S cried for help in the remaining months of her mortal life, and her government is nowhere to be found,” Valera said, adding that he hoped the government will make amends by providing her medical assistance in Manila.

He continued: Pagkatapos mapakinabangan ang mga dollar remittances niya for the past ten years,eto siya nagsusumamo at pinaglalaban ang kanyang karapatang mabuhay muli ng matahimik sa kanyang sariling bayan kahit sa nalalabing sandali ng kanyang buhay.

Another Filipino leader who did not want to use his name said Senate President Manuel Villar should be informed about the do-nothing officials who are supposed to extend assistance to OFWs in trouble. Villar recently vowed to punish embassy officials who fail to respond to calls for assistance by OFWs.

Valera said The Philippine Embassy and the Government failed us in Irene Apaos Death last year. There was not a single cent of funeral assistance extended to her by the government despite appeals from the MHC to do so.”

Again, in the case of Fely Garcia, a domestic helper who committed suicide last year in New York, the embassy did or consulate did not extend any assistance to send her body back to the Philippines. It was the Philippine Forum and MHC who raised funds for Garcia.

MHC said there has to be a specific and clear cut policy by our Government in these type of crisis. At the same time, Valera is asking the government to audit the OWWA billions and the way such funds are disbursed.”

Valera emphasized that if the government can pay $500,000 to a lobby firm to promote the Philippine government, I do not see any reason why it cannot extend funeral assistance or special funds to migrants in dire need.

Recounting the story of Mrs. Holgado, Valera said it was sad that she had only 6 to 12 months to live because of the end stage of mestatic breast cancer which has spread to her lungs and liver.

Nelia, after being informed that chemotheraphy and surgery did not work to heal her ailment, decided to quit her fight against cancer and expressed her desire to go home. All she prayed for was for someone to give her a plane ticket and a companion to bring her home safely to the Philippines.

The Filipina nurse at NIH was identified as Yvonne Horneffer of the Bicol Association in Metro DC.
Nelia, Valera said, exemplifies the positive Filipino human values of self-sacrifice, hard work ethic, utmost love for family, and patriotism to her native land. The Ilongga left the Philippines to work as a domestic helper in the United States. For ten years, she was undocumented (TNT), yet she was able to provide financial assistance to many of her kababayans in the Philippines through her hard-earned dollar remittances.

She is proud to have helped two family members in their college education: one earning a Bachelors Degree in Mass Communications, and the other Bachelors Degree in Nursing. She is counting on their support in the remaining days of her life in the Philippines.

Villar has urged the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations to conduct an inquiry on the allegations of bad attitude, negligence and incompetence of some Philippine embassy and consular personnel in handling cases of distressed overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).

Villar also filed Senate Bill 1879, which seeks to amend Republic Act 8042, or the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995. The bill seeks to impose penalties on Philippine consular officials and other government personnel for failure to act on complaints of, or to give assistance or render service to migrant workers, their families and overseas Filipinos in distress.

Over a decade after its enactment, R.A. 8042 has not entirely lived up to its intended purpose. Filipinos abroad continue to suffer,” the Senate president said.

Villar said that law does not penalize any government official in the consular, labor and welfare services who fails or refuses to give assistance to Filipino migrant workers.

Under the proposal, officials and personnel who fail or refuse to render service and/or assistance will be punished with suspension from office of not less than 30 days to dismissal from the service with forfeiture of retirement and other benefits depending on the gravity of the offense.


Posted by News Team | Filed Under Articles/Stories 

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