OFWs distrust OWWA – survey

Overseas Filipino workers view the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) with distrust and are largely uninformed about what the government agency is supposed to do for them, a survey by a migrant labor group shows. The survey findings were released recently by the Center for Migrant Advocacy (CMA) which conducted the poll over the Internet among 400 OFWs in the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Canada, and Europe in both high-skilled and low-skilled job sectors.
The survey report, entitled “The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration: From the Eyes of Selected Overseas Filipinos,” was supported by the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung foundation. According to the survey, OFWs have conflicting perceptions about the agency’s functions, their membership, and their benefits. “After more than 31 years of operations, a significant number of OFWs remain either unaware or misinformed about the role of OWWA,” CMA said in its summary. “This proves OWWA’s failure to adequately inform its clients and maintain an effective communication line with them,” the survey concluded.[ad#postbot468x60]