Gov't should allot funds to repatriate of OFWs from Iraq now!

MIGRANTE Sectoral Party Chairperson Connie Bragas-Regalado today called on the Macapagal-Arroyo administration to "use the P100 million repatriation fund at the Department of Foreign Affairs to repatriate overseas Filipino workers in war-torn Iraq."

"The said fund is mandated by the Migrant Workers Act of 1995 (RA 8042) and is appropriate for the Iraq situation. But only after Filipino security guard Rey Torres and driver Marcelo Salazar were killed in recent days, did Malacanang and the DFA 'strongly appeal to OFWs to seek voluntary repatriation.' We demand Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to prepare a comprehensive and systematic plan to assure the safety of OFWs in Iraq. The said plan ust be in accordance of the said Act," Bragas-Regalado said.

Section 15 of RA 8042 stipulates that the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), in coordination with appropriate international agencies, shall undertake the repatriation of workers in cases of war, epidemic, disasters or calamities, natural or man-made… and an emergency repatriation fund under the administration control and supervision of the OWWA, initially to consist of one hundred million pesos (P100,000,000.00), inclusive of outstanding balances.

"Also, the Implementing Rules of the said law states that "when repatriation becomes immediate and necessary, the OWWA shall advance the needed costs from the Emergency Repatriation Fund. In cases where the cost of repatriation shall exceed P100 million, the OWWA shall make representation with the Office of the President for immediate funding in excess of said amount (Section 59). This shows that the President is primarily responsible for the safe repatriation of OFWs in Iraq. She should act immediately to prevent further injuries and deaths to Filipinos in Iraq. The said repatriation fund is now under the care of the DFA," Bragas-Regalado said.

Migrante also called for "the immediate withdrawal of Philippine support to the US war of terror in Iraq, the close monitoring of the countries bordering the war-torn nation and a complete appraisal of the deployments of Filipinos to these countries."

"The Macapagal-Arroyo government has not listened to our advice on withdrawing support to US military designs in occupying Iraq. This support has rendered Filipinos as legitimate targets of the Iraqi resistance since most of them work in US military camps and US-owned companies - just like the late OFWs Torres and Salazar and the kidnapped Robert Tarongoy who remains a captive," Bragas-Regalado said.

Migrante articulated that there is a need to "put the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) to task due to the reports that some Filipinos deployed to Jordan, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Turkey cross the border into Iraq."

"The POEA is not monitoring deployments of regular and irregular OFWs to the said countries. The case of Tarongoy and many other OFWs that entered Iraq after the Philippine deployment ban and the continued inaction of the DFA on monitoring the borders of Iraq shows that more Filipinos can still get harmed in Iraq if Malacanang does not act now," Bragas-Regalado said.

The former domestic worker also added that "the massive government repatriation procedure by government should include stable and well-paying jobs in the Philippines for the more than 6,500 Filipinos." #