DOLE: Overseas employment should not break up families

MANILA, Philippines - As Filipinos continue to seek employment opportunities abroad, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has stressed that overseas jobs should not cause fragmentation of families.

Citing the 2012 winners of the Model OFW Family Awards (MOFYA), Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said the other day that working abroad “should not cause the breakup of families.”

Baldoz also noted that some OFW families have proven that it is possible to stay whole and united even if a member of the family is working abroad.

Baldoz said that while working abroad entails social costs, the factors that impelled the decision should not be used as an excuse to have a dysfunctional family.

“If family members would help each other as the many MOFYA awardees have exemplified, they will succeed,” she said.

Baldoz urged Filipino families whose members include migrant workers to emulate the winners of the 2012 MOFYA.

She said the qualities and Filipino values of these model OFW families should be seen as “shining examples” by other OFW families.

The labor chief warned aspiring OFWs to stop seeking employment overseas if this would mean risking themselves as undocumented or illegal workers.

“Illegal or undocumented workers are often victims of illegal recruitment and are prone to real danger, abuse and maltreatment, incarceration, and sometimes, an outcome too tragic to contemplate – death,” Baldoz said.

Baldoz also stressed the need to provide full attention and assistance to women workers.

“Our wish is to be able to help our OFWs, especially the women. We should fix the economy so that there would be more job opportunities and people won’t have to seek employment abroad,” she said.

Baldoz added that DOLE is offering programs to encourage women OFWs to return to the country for good and seek alternative employment.

“As much as possible, let us encourage women to stay in the country. Filipino men should strive to be productive so that their wives would not be forced to work abroad,” Baldoz said.