Stranded HK OFWs need PH gov’t support — Migrante
OVERSEAS Filipino Workers (OFWs) feel abandoned by the Philippine government as they receive no support while they wait in Manila for the day they can go to their jobs in Hong Kong, said a labor group.
Speaking at press conference on Friday via Zoom, Migrante International Chairperson Joanna Concepcion said that the government should prioritize stranded OFWs as recipients of cash relief; ensure that OFWs with approved visas be given priority for free vaccines; provide temporary accommodation in lieu of financial assistance for renting boarding house; and should assist the OFWs when recruitment agencies try to collect excessive fees and require multiple mandatory medical examinations.
“Why do OFWs suffer because of the Duterte government’s ineptitude in handling the virus? Instead of lockdowns, financial relief and government temporary shelters should have been immediately provided to the stranded OFWs who come from far-flung provinces without relatives to rely on in Metro Manila,” a Migrante press statement said.
Numerous OFWs, stranded in Manila, shared similar stories in the press conference. They apply for work in Hong Kong, have their flight cancelled several times, worry about the expiration of their visa, incur debt while waiting, then are forced back to their provinces to survive.
“The longer they stay in the Philippines, the longer their miseries are,” said the United Filipinos in Hong Kong Chairperson and Secretary-General of Migrante International Dolores Balladares.
Ms. Concepcion explained that although HK opened its doors to workers bound for Hong Kong on Monday, the stringent requirements the Hong Kong government requires made workers feel uncertain.
“The entry ban is only one form of the discriminatory policy of the Hong Kong government that our migrant workers are fighting against. Filipino migrant workers are among those who are severely suffering because of the Philippine government’s ineptitude in handling its overall COVID-19 pandemic response,” said Ms. Concepcion. — Alyssa Nicole O. Tan
