The OFWs' top challenges in 2011

The year 2011 may not be a very good year for OFWs. There are seven factors that constitute not-so-good trends for our migrant workers.

First, there is a generally declining labor market demands for OFWs; Second, there shall be lower wages and lesser benefits; Third, there shall be a continuing proliferation of 5 D jobs (Dirty, Difficult, Degrading, Deceptive and Dangerous); Fourth, a general trend for higher placement fees; Fifth, there is a rising incidence of trafficking and illegal recruitment; Sixth, sadly, not all the host countries provide for adequate safety nets for migrant workers; and Seventh, there is a growing demand for more and better government (both labor-sending and labor-receiving) service for foreign workers.

Due to increasing competition from other LSCs (Labor-Sending Countries), the employers, recruiters, brokers and agents of LRCs (Labor Receiving-Countries) are more inclined to get other nationals, for various reasons, such as the Indonesians and Indians who are willing to accept comparatively lower wages and lesser benefits; Vietnamese and Sri Lankans, who are supposedly less complaining than OFWs; and other foreign workers who may not be as good as OFWs in terms of knowledge and skills, but are allegedly not prone to filing cases nor inclined to seek the aid of NGOs and international human rights advocacy groups.

Of course, we do want our workers to be protected by these groups, aside from the help of our embassies and overseas labor offices. But the employers do not look at these with fondness.

The lowering of wages due to the oversupply of unskilled and low-skilled labor all over the world also pose a threat to the OFWs. On a happier note, this trend may, however, have a positive impact on us. Because of low wages in the foreign labor markets, our unskilled and low-skilled workers would then prefer to stay home in our country and seek alternative means of livelihood. Then, our country can send only the most qualified abroad who can better protect themselves

The proliferation of 5 D jobs (Dirty, Difficult, Degrading, Deceptive and Dangerous) in the global labor markets continue to pose grave and real danger to our migrant workers.

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