Protecting OFWs from themselves

KUWAIT — There are many good OFWs and we do extol their virtues. But let us now focus on the other kind, the one that we, Cebuano-speaking people may call “Badlongon”. In Dubai, DOLE Secretary Nitoy Roque had to rush a few days before last Independence Day, in order to attend to the cases of the drivers who were reportedly victimized by unscrupulous recruiters who deployed them to non-existent jobs in Lebanon. There are allegedly 46,000 undocumented (not illegal) OFWs who crossed the borders from the backdoor, knowing fully well that the Philippine Government has banned labor migration to that country due to the precarious security situation, in view of the Lebanon-Israeli conflict. A month ago, 10 OFWs died in Afghanistan. They crossed the border despite lack of legal documentation.

There are also thousands of “illegal” (undocumented) in Iraq and would you believe it, even in Kenya and Ethiopia, of all places. Filipinos would cross the Gulf of Somalia even if it is teeming with pirates, or would rather remain in Israel even with Palestinian bombings that send the locals to evacuation camps. They are not afraid of the earthquakes in Saudi or Italy. They sail in the dark of nights to Sandakan and Kota Kinabalu or take ocean-going jobs in Penang and risk as undocumented fishermen, unmindful of storms pirates, sharks or immigration authorities.

OFWs recklessness and imprudence

I am sad to be writing about this. But it is true. Some of our migrant workers purposely submit fake birth certificates and marriage certificates either because they are underage, overage or want to hide their true marital status (mostly the married ones want to project themselves as single). For whatever reason they do these, such acts are extremely risky. When discovered, they could be dismissed from employment and even be prosecuted and could even land in jails. Others also submit fake diplomas and falsified PRC IDs and manufactured transcript of records. They know fully well that these acts are illegal. But just the same, they just do these.

 Sadly, because of actual reports of these shenanigans, some foreign employers have lost their trust on our educational system. They always suspect the genuineness of our school documents and many host governments now require the logo and the authentication of the DFA, complete with ribbon and dry seal. Other job applicants have the boldness to accept fake visas from syndicated illegal recruiters who demand outrageous sums of money. These OFWs may reason out that they were only victimized, but we dare say, with all due respect, that many of them have been willing victims. They were principally guilty for indispensable cooperation. They did not only approve the acts, they also actively and knowingly participate in the commission of the same.

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