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.+