Deployment ng OFWs sa Iraq, bukas na

NAPAGKUWENTUHAN namin ni Sen. Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada ang pagbubukas muli ng deployment ng OFWs sa Iraq.

Matatandaang sinuspinde noong Disyembre 2007 ng Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) ang pagpapadala ng manggagawang Pilipino sa Iraq dahil sa sumiklab na kaguluhan doon.

Nitong nakaraang Hulyo 30, inilimbag ng POEA ang Governing Board Resolution No. 7 na nagsasaad na binubuksan na muli ang “processing and deployment of new hire workers for Iraq except in areas herein identified as “no-go” zones, and excluding household service workers.” Ilan sa mga tinukoy na “no-go” zones ay ang Anbar Province, Ninewah/Nineveh Province, Kirkuk Province (a.k.a. Tamim; Al Tamim; At-Tamim) at Salahuddin/Salahaddin Province.

Pinagbasehan ng desisyon ng POEA Board ang sertipikasyon ng Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) na ang Iraq ay compliant o tumutupad sa “guarantees on the protection of the rights of foreign workers” sa ilalim ng Republic Act 10022 (An Act amending RA 8042 or the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995, as amended, further improving the standard of protection and promotion of the welfare of migrant workers, their families and overseas Filipinos in distress…)

Binigyang-diin din nito na “(the) Iraqi government communicated its desire to hire Filipino skilled workers and professionals for the rehabilitation of Iraqi industries and facilities.”

Ayon kay Jinggoy, Chairman ng Senate Committee on Labor, Employment and Human Resources Development, ito ay maituturing na positibong development para sa mga Pilipinong nais magtrabaho sa abroad. Gayunman aniya ay kailangan itong bantayan at asikasuhing mabuti ng ating pamahalaan.

Aniya, “We welcome the reopening of this labor market for our workers, as domestic employment in the country remains dismal. However, we should not push our workers into war zones just so they can be employed.”

Dapat aniyang tiyakin ng pamahalaan ang pangkabuuang proteksiyon at kaligtasan ng mga OFW gayundin ang kahandaan ng “contingency and repatriation measures” kung sakaling sumiklab muli ang kaguluhan sa naturang bansa at malagay sa peligro ang ating mga manggagawa.