House probe sought over delayed return of OFWs' remains

MANILA, Philippines - Migrante International asked Congress yesterday to investigate the funds of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) following delays in the repatriation of the remains of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

Migrante chairman Garry Martinez said there is a need to thoroughly investigate where the P50 million from the DFA and P100 million OWWA allotment for the repatriation of the remains of OFWs went.

“We have been receiving consistent complaints from families of OFWs that they have been asked to shoulder the costs for their kin’s repatriation. It never stopped. Worse, when sought for assistance, they were informed that is the policy of Philippine embassies to collect autopsy and airfare costs from the families. Where did the P150 million funds of DFA and OWWA go?” Martinez said.

Martinez said Republic Act 8042 or the Migrant Worker’s Act provides that it is the responsibility of the employer, the recruitment agency, the DFA and the OWWA to shoulder the costs for the repatriation of OFWs.

“More often than not, employers and recruitment agencies cannot be depended upon to fulfill this task as the government has no soundproof mechanism to ensure such. It is therefore mandated by the law that the DFA and OWWA are responsible,” Martinez said.

Martinez said the OWWA has collected an estimated $12 billion in 2010 from the mandatory $25 contributions of OFWs, a portion of which should be earmarked for emergency repatriation.

“For undocumented cases, the OWWA forwards processing and implementation to the DFA which also has funds for this purpose,” Martinez said.

He alleged that abusive board members have misused OWWA funds while the DFA has been complaining of alleged lack of funds.

“DFA has failed to repatriate the remains of OFWs and those in distress over the years,” Martinez said.

Martinez said there is a need to counter-check if the allotted funds are trickling down to much-needed welfare services and assistance to OFWs.

“We call on Congress to audit and investigate these funds in the coming budget deliberations. Those who are turning the OFWs into milking cows should be punished,” Martinez said.

Martinez cited the case of Mark Lloyd Carmen who was killed in Iran and Marilous Sables who died of cardiac arrest in Taiwan.

“Both the families of Carmen and Sables were asked to shoulder expenses for the repatriation of their remains. While DFA is claiming that the costs for the return of Carmen’s remains were paid from its assistance-to-nationals fund, his (Carmen) mother attests that it was in fact a loan from the department and she was expected to pay them back,” Martinez said.

Martinez said the ashes of Sables were brought home one year and three months after she died.

He said Philippine authorities in Taiwan finally exhumed Sables’ remains and brought her ashes home after series of protest from OFWs.

“Until now, however, she has yet to be united with her family in Iloilo because they are now being asked to shoulder the shipping costs of her ashes from Manila to the province,” Martinez said.

Martinez also asked the DFA to hasten the repatriation of unclaimed bodies of OFWs in Iraq.