NEWS RELEASE - 24 January 2004

Reference:JOHN MONTERONA
Vice Chairperson and Party List Nominee, MIGRANTE Sectoral Party
Contact Number: 0920-2101290

MIGRANTE renewed the call to scrap the anti-OFW Omnibus Policies of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration in a press conference at the Tree House Restaurant in Quezon City today.

"The OWWA Omnibus Policies spell the death of the rights and welfare programs and benefits for OFWs that are funded from their own sweat and blood," MIGRANTE Party List Vice Chairperson and 2nd nominee John Monterona.

MIGRANTE maintained that the Omnibus Policies authorizes the use of OFW funds held in trust at the OWWA in various ways for purposes that are not for the welfare of migrants and their families.

"Billions of pesos for health care, financial assistance, scholarships and repatriation of OFWs in distress shall be opened full blast to the evil and corrupt schemes of high government officials,” Monterona added.

Among the examples of OFWs who have doubly suffered due to these policies are the 16 stranded OFWs who went on hunger strike in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia last December 2003.

"The 16 stranded OFWs only needed to be given air tickets for them to be repatriated. The Omnibus Policies permit government officials to delay action on their pleas for air tickets despite the presence of a P1,679,850 repatriation fund," Monterona said.

The effects of the said Omnibus Policies, MIGRANTE said, “are far-reaching and has pushed organizations of OFWs and their families to file a petition for a temporary restraining order en route to scrapping the said policies soon."

The party list group also reiterated that aside from OFWs in distressful situations, the families of migrant workers are also included in the list of the Omnibus Policies’ victims.

"The families of the 16 stranded workers are among the millions of OFW dependents who are now prevented from claiming their medical assistance refunds from the OWWA, thanks to the Omnibus Policies," Monterona added.

MIGRANTE partylist pledged that its network of organizations and lawyers shall file the petition for a temporary restraining order early next week.#