Envoy meets with human rights group to protect OFWs

MANILA, Philippines –  Ambassador to Beirut Gilberto Asuque has met with top officials of Human Rights Watch (HRW) to discuss protective measures for overseas Filipino workers (OFW) in Lebanon.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said yesterday Asuque discussed the protective measures under Republic Act 10022, the Amendatory Law on the Magna Carta for Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos, during a meeting at the chancery last Dec. 1.

Assistant Labor Attach Salome Mendoza and Welfare Officer Toribio Robles Jr. joined Asuque during the meeting with HRW officials. 

Sarah Leah Whitsom, HRW executive director for Middle East and North Africa Division; Nadim Houry, HRW-MENA Division researcher; and Wenzel Michalski, HRW Germany director led the 14-member HRW delegation. 

The HRW officials were in Lebanon to assess the status of the rights of migrant domestic workers and the efforts done by the Lebanese government in addressing migrant workers’ concerns over the protection of their rights and welfare.

Asuque discussed RA 10022 and its relevant provisions, specifically the conditions that must exist in the receiving country before OFWs are allowed to be recruited and deployed.

He said the embassy is negotiating a memorandum of understanding on labor cooperation with the Lebanese government for the protective measures required by RA 10022.

Mendoza and Robles informed the HRW officials of the assistance being provided by the embassy, the labor office and OWWA-Beirut to the OFWs in Lebanon, especially to those in distress who ran away from their employers or recruitment agencies with complaints of abuse. 

These OFWs-in-distress are now sheltered in the Filipino Workers Resource Center (FWRC).     

Assistance provided includes searching for OFWs wherever they may be in Lebanon and bringing them to the FWRC to resolve their immigration cases.

Two OFW wards in the FWRC were invited to the meeting to briefly present their status and condition in Lebanon to the visiting HRW officials. 

Asuque informed the HRW officials that the 31 OFW wards (as of Dec. 1, 2010) in the FWRC are given full assistance by the government, including negotiations with the Lebanese immigration authorities for the resolution of their immigration cases, issuance of exit permits and repatriation.  

The embassy has repatriated 162 OFWs in three batches last Nov. 15 and 16 after undergoing the assistance process. 

At the end of the meeting, the DFA said HRW officials commended the Philippines for providing the best example and best practices in the protection of the rights and the promotion of the welfare of migrant workers.  

HRW officials also held a meeting with Lebanese Labor Minister Butros Harb who briefed them on the status of the proposed legislation for migrant workers.