Extraction of more consular fees not justified

We oppose the extraction of more consular fees from OFWs in Europe

The Unity of Filipino Migrant Workers Associations in Korea or KASAMMAKO expresses its solidarity with the migrant workers in the Eurozone who are seeking an investigation over new service rates imposed by the Department of Foreign Affairs in nine Philippine embassies and three consulates general across Europe.

KASAMMAKO noted in the websites of Philippine embassies in Greece, Germany, Belgium, Spain, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria and Vatican City that they have increased the costs of a new passport from 40 to 50 Euro. The replacement of lost passport costs from 90 to 140 Euro applying the minimum 25 percent increase on it and on other consular documents effective January 2, 2009 for the main reason of difference in Euro to US Dollar conversion rate.

This increase in passport and other consular service fees is the least expected by migrant workers in the midst of severe global economic crisis. The Department of Foreign Affairs continues to levy unjust increases in rates and add unnecessary fees without considering its economic implications and impact on the OFWs. Thousands of migrant workers are losing their jobs and others are forced to be repatriated to the Philippines and extracting 10 to 40 Euro from the depleted pockets of distressed OFWs is a betrayal of hope for a better life and nationality of migrant workers.
Migrante International has received information that migrant workers, organizations, groups and Filipino communities in those countries were not consulted regarding the reasons and process of every fee adjustment the DFA approved. In this regard, Representatives Satur Ocampo, Luzviminda Ilagan, Teodoro Casino, Rafael Mariano and Liza Maza introduced House Resolution 949, “directing committees on overseas workers affairs and foreign affairs” to conduct an inquiry into the “unreasonably huge increase of consular service fees”.

KASAMMAKO supports the statement of the house representatives stressing that “the hike in consular service fees is unjustified as it only increased the financial burden faced by migrant Filipinos and their families in these times of severe economic crisis.” The resolution further seeks the government to “explain and democratize” the process of adjusting old service rates and imposing new ones. It is not a farfetched possibility that the increase in fees on consular services in Philippine Embassies and Consulates in Europe will also be implemented in the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region especially in South Korea, where more than 40,000 OFWs live and work.

It is lamentable that instead of supporting Filipino workers abroad in these times of crisis and uncertainty, the government is determined to collect more fees from suffering OFWs. This simply shows that the Arroyo government’s response to the worsening crisis is intensified labor export policy program rather than restructuring and freeing of the Philippine economy from control of monopoly and transnational capitalists and from the dictates of World Bank/IMF, and eradicating graft and corruption.

KASAMMAKO urges the Arroyo government to stop this monetary extraction from OFWs. The OFWs that are directly affected by the worldwide economic crisis in the form of retrenchment without just compensation and due process, wage depreciation, an escalating number of unjust policies and bilateral agreements and increasing human rights violations should be effectively addressed by Philippine Embassies and Consular offices around the world.+

Palliatives not enough for terminated migrant workers

There is a cloud of doubt to the responses of the Philippine Embassy in Seoul to retrenched OFWs

KASAMMAKO the Unity of Filipino Migrant Workers Associations in Korea has cast a cloud of doubt on the appropriateness and effectiveness of the responses of the Philippine Embassy in Seoul to the situation of OFWs in a ‘shaky economic climate’ in South Korea. The greater concerns for protection of labour and human rights of migrant workers have been sidelined because of the Embassy’s concentration in palliatives such as conducting seminars on money management, bookkeeping, entrepreneurship and feasibility studies. These palliatives used are based on ineffective social welfare practices and shallow analysis of the Philippine society that do not match the actual situation of migrant workers especially those in South Korea.

One of the appropriate responses for migrant workers who are retrenched and facing retrenchment is the ultimate use of legal injunction and diplomatic processes for OFWs to get the maximum compensation and benefits for the loss of their jobs. It is within the legal boundaries to ask for a full year payment of migrant workers’ salaries, as their contract would assume in the event they are retrenched prior to completion of contract as in cases of some migrant workers in Taiwan. This, the Philippine Labour Office (POLO) hesitates to do, KASAMMAKO disclosed.

Furthermore, KASAMMAKO asserts that there has been inadequate provision of shelter for retrenched and distressed migrant workers. Overseas Filipino Workers need a place where they can be housed until they land new jobs. The justification POLO would say for not providing adequate shelter for retrenched and distressed OFWs is the lack of funds, which many migrant workers would not easily believe. For there were many occasions that OWWA used the OFWs funds for purposes that do not serve their interests and welfare but for the business ventures of those in government.

KASAMMAKO also observed that the reintegration program for OFWs and their families introduced by the composite team from National Reintegration Center for OFWs (NRCO), DOLE, OWWA, POEA and TESDA visiting Seoul this month mainly focused among others, on Micro Enterprise Development where OFWs can apply for 50,000 pesos loan from TESDA at 5% interest rate. Minister Abraham Estavillo commented after the presentation of the reintegration program, that the program is a good idea but does not take into consideration the national and global economic situation, especially in terms of market viability. He further said that talking about OFWs engaging in business is good, but who will buy or patronize their products is the question that must be answered. KASAMMAKO pinned that the Arroyo government is not willing to overhaul the national economy to provide a better life for the majority of the Filipino people. The government continues to assert its labour export policy even if countries of destination are no longer hiring OFWs.

Moreover, KASAMMAKO analyzes that the contraction of the South Korean economy will result in job loss of more than 200,000 is alarming because there are more than 8,000,000 Korean irregular workers. In this situation, the South Korean government will first serve the interest of their labourers and the need for migrant workers will eventually diminish. This is the reason why OFWs under the Employment Permit System are retrenched and the undocumented ones are arrested and deported. The Philippine Embassy in Seoul has been indifferent to the plight of estimated 20,000 undocumented OFWs and no substantial social services were given to them aside from the token issuance of travel documents for them to be allowed passage back to the Philippines.

The number of OFWs retrenched as reported by the Philippine Embassy is only 12 cases. Although there is a disclaimer clause in its press statement, ‘several more may have gone unreported’, KASAMMAKO insists that this does not free the Philippine Embassy from the responsibility of establishing the actual number of OFWs retrenched by their employers. Several retrenched OFWs in Korea have opted not to seek the assistance of the Philippine Embassy especially of the POLO and managed their own situation on the thought that they will not be fully assisted anyway. The responsibility is not just establishing the actual number but to assist distressed and retrenched OFWs from the very beginning up to the time when they get a new job in South Korea. +