The are about 13 million Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) working in various countries across the globe hoping to give their families a better life.
One of them is Richard, a lineman in United Kingdom.
He came back to the Philippines in 2014 and he never had a chance to return abroad because of the tedious processing of papers involved.
“It’s hard to find a job at the agency. Also, the tedious processing of documents because the agencies are far from each other, you cannot process all the documents in one day. You need 1 week to process all. I am hoping that there is a one stop shop for OFWs like us to lessen our expenses,” said Richard.
That is why the Alliance for Community Transformation and Service OFW or ACTS OFW Party List is calling the attention of Mayor Rodrigo Duterte to prioritize the needs of millions of OFWs around the world.
OFW advocate John Bertiz said the next administration should create a department called the Department of Migration and Development to look into the welfare of OFWs.
This department will directly coordinate with the OFW regarding their concerns and problems encountered with their employer.
“The re-integration, legal assistance and even the insurance must included here so that the family or even the workers will go to one building,” ACTS OFW First Nominee John Bertiz explained.
The group is appealing to mayor Duterte to stop the ‘Laglag-Bala’ scam that mostly victimizes OFWs. Another concern is the mass layoff of Filipino workers in Middle East.
“We will push for this government under Mayor Duterte to review the needs of OFWs just like what he promised,” Bertiz added.
Based on COMELEC’s partial unofficial count, the ACTS OFW Party List has 300,000 votes.
If they succeed in becoming a member of the House of Representatives, they will push for a bill that focuses on the welfare of OFWs – the country’s modern heroes.
(GRACE CASIN/UNTV News)
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