Statement - DOLE misrepresents OFWs interests

The "package of reform measures for household service workers" claimed by DOLE through paid advertisement pays only lip service to the welfare and interests of millions of OFWs. Their sweet talk cannot erase the DOLE's poor record in preventing abuses committed against Filipinas in their host countries.

The POEA guidelines, better known as Arroyo's "Supermaid package" set for domestic workers do not provide "better protection" and "prevention of abuse". If the Arroyo government is so determined to pursue genuine programs beneficial to migrant workers, the government should have negotiated with host countries for a bilateral agreement on labor standard protection of migrants, which is actually their job in the first place. But with this Supermaid Package, this government has shifted the burden of welfare and protection of our OFWs to the OFWs themselves--and for an exorbitant fee.

Moreover, these so-called reforms in the guidelines are deceptive, dangerous and double-edged, as all domestic workers, whether veterans or not, are treated as new hires everytime they renew their contract. There is also the lack of consultation among the sectors involved. Either the authors of the new POEA guidelines are apparently incompetent bureaucrats, or a syndicate out for a big buck as OFWs have become one of the largest milking cows for government corruption.

Seven out of ten Filipino migrant workers are women. Those who suffered the harshest maltreatment overseas are women. In our advocacy to advance the interest of women, children and nation, we urge the people who either have family members working abroad or are OFWs themselves to join us in the call to junk Arroyo's Supermaid program and push for long term reforms that will genuinely benefit our OFWs

Kaira Zoe Alburo
Provincial Spokesperson
Gabriela Women's Partylist