Letter to the Editor - March 19, 2005
References: Connie Bragas-Regalado, Chairperson, 259-1145 & 0927-2157392

Negligent embassy officials imperil distressed OFWs in Jordan

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is apparently pampering negligent officials of the Philippine embassy with regard to the plight of runaway overseas Filipinos in Jordan.

In a DFA press release dated March 1, 2005, Philippine Ambassador to Jordan Ruperto M. Dizon is said to have met with Jordan's Border and Residency Directorate-General Mohammed Khalef Al-Jariri on the concerns of OFWs in the country last month. The dialogue supposedly focused on the processing of residency and work permits, the reporting and facilitation of speedy resolution of OFW cases in Jordan. But nothing was mentioned on the plight of at least 40 runaway and stranded OFWs, housed at the Philippine Embassy in Amman, Jordan.

These OFWs ran away from abusive employers and have sought help from the embassy and the DFA to process their papers, cases and immediate repatriation. MIGRANTE has received recent reports from the stranded OFWs themselves that Amb. Dizon, Consul Aric V. Arevalo, Embassy Administrative Officer Edmundo Venturanza and Welfare Officer Evelyn Laranang are returning these women to their respective recruitment agencies in Jordan if they cannot pay for their deployment and repatriation expenses.

To date, the DFA refuses to heed their appeals for repatriation. It even asks the distressed families of the abused OFWs to shell out thousands of dollars in payment for the said expenses including penalties for overstaying. This is the height of callousness. Our OFWs leave the country to earn for their families to survive and when they are forced to leave abusive employers, they have nothing to send to their kin. Besides, there is a 100 million peso Assistance to Nationals fund in the DFA that covers repatriation of distressed overseas Filipinos.

The DFA should immediately stop returning the distressed OFWs to the Jordanian recruitment agencies and facilitate either their transfer of employment or the immediate repatriation for all those who would want to go home. It should also return the cellphones to the distressed OFWs confiscated by Welfare Officer Laranang.

The continued rise of abused OFW cases in Jordan happens despite the 15-year deployment ban of domestic and unskilled worker to Jordan that was recently lifted by the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE).

Despite the ban that started in 1990, the DOLE still deployed at least 3,600 Filipinos in the following years. To date majority (about 7,000) of the 12,343 Filipinos in Jordan are either irregular or undocumented domestic workers, according to DFA stock data on OFWs. These include the 40 runaway domestic workers in the embassy in Jordan.

Despite the ban and it's lifting rampant maltreatment and exploitation of Filipino domestic workers in Jordan continues. The lifting of the ban will only worsen the situation as the Philippine embassy officials in Jordan are generally negligent towards OFWs in distress.

A partial list of OFWs stranded at the Philippine embassy in Jordan who all seek to be repatriated to the Philippines:

1. Bautista, Christine Sechico (Passport Name Marites O. Alao, # LL 6515544)
2. Teodoro, Monette (who is pregnant)
3. Javier, Editha
4. Carreon, Carmelita Buton (of Capas, Tarlac)
5. Alforte, Rebecca dela Rosa (of Manggahan, Quezon City)
6. Funa, Lina (of New Tigbauan, Kabulacan, Matalam, Cotabato)
7. Fornillos, Dalmacia (of Cavite)
8. Silik, Aminah Tabbong (Passport # FF 990082; of Luntyan, Sultan Kudarat)
9. Rasid, Baimonah Unos (Passport # GG 121731)
10. Lebario, Esperanza
11. Likaroz, Joyce
12. San Juan, Heidy
13. Nelvie Patalinghug (pregnant)
14. Mendez, Mila
15. Osio, Clarita (of San Jose, Nueva Ecija)
16. Diones (?), Annabelle
17. Caraos, Luzviminda
18. Valenzuela, Nieves Yarcia (of Solano, Nueva Vizcaya)
19. Suliek, Anisa Karim (of Pikit, North Cotabato)
20. Tanquilan, Rowena Labawan (of Lantapan, Bukidnon)
21. Janoyan, Jean Moraca (of Cagayan de Oro City)
22. Soltero, Sofia Dadat
23. Hinayon, Roberta Cagatin
24. Untong, Sitti Raida
25. Baysac, Monaliza
26. Idres, Muslima
27. Reyes, Edith
28. Lambing, Pahana
29. Rahaman, Normina,
30. Sangkop, Anisa
31. Asmawill, Jamila
32. Hadja, Tadmahal
33. Balicdan, Mercy
34. Bomil-o, Beverly
35. Ariola, Maggie P. (of San Agustin, Isabela)
36. OFW Hilda
37. OFW Hanipa
38. OFW Annalyn
39. OFW Juanita
40. Bacani, Maritess

We call on the DFA, DOLE and its officials in Jordan to immediately effect the repatriation of the 40 distressed OFWs, including those who are pregnant and victims of various degrees of maltreatment and exploitation. #