'OFWs returning from Iraq won't be punished'
MANILA, Philippines - Job offers, not sanctions, are waiting for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), who violated the Philippine government's deployment ban to Iraq.
This was the assurance made by Carmelita Dimzon, head of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), amid the US government's order to its subcontractors in Iraq to repatriate Filipino workers.
"I don't think punishing them or sanctioning them at this point will be done," Dimzon said in an interview on ANC's On The Scene on Tuesday.
She said that there are at least 8,000 to 10,000 Filipinos working for US military contractors and subcontractors in Iraq.
In a memorandum issued by the United States Central Command last July 20, Colonel Richard Nolan, senior contracting officer of the Iraq CentCom Contracting Command said: "All contractors in Iraq have 20 days from the date of this letter to ensure their employees comply with US and international law and understood their redeployment responsibilities under the term of their contract."
The memo added: "It is the contractor's responsibility to ensure that it is not employing people from countries prohibited from entry to Iraq."
The decision of the US Central Command was also triggered by reports that some expatriate workers, including Filipinos, were abandoned by their contractors in various camps throughout Iraq, raising concerns about violations committed by various contractors including hiring workers from countries that have imposed travel and work restrictions.
The repatriation deadline was set on August 9.
Dimzon said that they expect the repatriation of Filipinos in several batches to start by August 9.
She said OWWA staff will be welcoming the OFWs at the airport.
"We will meet them and find out what they wish to do. If they still want to apply for overseas employment, local employment, or they will opt to say [in the country] and engage in livelihood activities," she said.
Dimzon said that the government is also ready to offer the OFWs financial assistance so they can start their own business in the country.
Dimzon said that Undersecretary for Migrant workers' Affairs Esteban Conejos has started communicating with the Filipinos' employers.
She said Conejos has also been tasked to determine the real number of Filipinos working in Iraq despite the Philippines' work ban.
Reports said that there could be as many as 15,000 Filipino workers who have illegally entered Iraq despite the ban.
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tinginiwillie
boy tingil ano pinag sasabi mo na nilabag namin ang batas e pumunta kmi d2 wala pang ban.gungung! bago ka mag salita alimin mo muna!engeng!ikaw ano ang na itulong mo sa gobyerno natin.baka isa ka lang tambay na walang magawa sa pinas at parang apektado ka ha?putak ka ng putak wala ka naman alam!usar name mo palang parang rapis na!!
bugok!!
Suwerte naman ng OFW sa Iraq
Nilabag nila ang utos ng gobyerno pero wala hindi sila parurusahan?
Ang galing ng talaga ng Pinoy...
Swerte naman ng OFW sa Iraq
Alam mo pare ko...lumabag na kung lumabag kami sa kung ano mang ang sinasabi mo pero kasi kami at taong may pangarap at ayaw mamatay ng gutom dyan sa pilipinas. Bago mo hilingin na kami ay parusahan eh mag isip ka muna sapagkat mas marami dyan sa atin ang dapat parusahan. Sa pagnanakaw at pagpatay. Kami ay naghahanapbuhay dito ng marangal kaya kung wala ka ng masabi eh tigilan mo na ang pagsusulat ng kung ano ano.
Pare nakipagmeeting na sa amin ang philippine envoy na si Mr Cimatu..maghintay ka na lang ng kanyang report at saka mo sabihin na kami ay dapat parusahan. Sana huli ka na sa kalahian mo at wag ka ng magparami pa..kasi mas lalong lulubog ang bansang pilipinas sa kahirapan kapag lahat ng tao eh tulad mong buktot ang takbo ng pag iisip...
Do not decide, instead review the facts...
The Philippine gov't itself knows the real situation they just want to stick on their decision...
We can't make someone realize something whose eyes and ears are closed.
Considering the fact that there are lots of Filipino workers who've entered the place illegally they still managed to help the country grow with its remittances and not being a burden on the gov't. The title itself shouldn't even be an issue.
Gumising naman kayo!!!
Wala pong gamot sa bobo... This is not the time to be narrow minded lot's of Filipino's need help, Mga namumuno make the right decision.
Assurance?
Ms. Dimzon, will all due respect, your assurance won't help pay the bills. Do you even have the figures for the unemployed in the Philippines right now? Better start crunching numbers because there will be 15,000 more! Tough huh, well that is if you really have the "welfare' of the OFW's in mind... Please stop hiding behind the blanket authority of the government, yes, that's what the ban is, and start doing your job by really "protecting" OFW's.
Terminology disparity
There is an obvious disparity in terminology used here. In the government’s book, PROTECTION means curtailment of the right to self-determination. Hence, what better way to PROTECT Filipinos than to stop and BAN them. A simple analogy will be like a father telling his kid “Son, so you don’t get hit by a car, don’t cross the street!” Yeah, I know, Iraq is a lot more complicated than that, but hear this, wouldn’t it be better if the government really do its job by crafting measures and procedures to safeguard OFW’s instead of placing a ban one after the other? My goodness, soon it might even impose a ban on the Gulf of Aden so Filipino seafarers will not be kidnapped!
Real protection is being pro-active not restrictive! As I have said in my previous posts, the reality is that there will be more conflict zones in the near future, will the government imposed ban on them too? Am I being hypothetical here? Of course I am, but guess what, I am offering suggestions and from my professional point of view I think they are doable and workable, the government just got to have that sincerity to make it happen. I have mentioned these before but it all fell on deaf ears, for those who care, please read on...
USec Conejos, another one for you!
USec. Conejos, you obviously are ill-informed. When was the last time the government sent people to Iraq for an honest-to-goodness assessment? Do you even have the right people to do that? I am asking these because we need a real assessment not the Cimatu kind of assessment done supposedly last 2009.
It certainly looks rosy when you said this is a chance for the POEA to create a pool of workers. What happens during such creation? Who will feed these OFW's families?
The p10,000 start-up capital loan. Come on, is this a joke because if it is shame on you! For the 15,000 Pinoys in Iraq woe to you!
Forsaken in your own country, hounded still in a foreign land by your own government's inadequacy!
To all Pinoys out there, spread the word!
USec Conejos, are you even thinking at all?
US orders pullout of OFWs in Iraq by August 9 - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos
39 minutes ago
mannyges posted: Once again Usec. Conejos shows his disrespect for our workers in Iraq by saying literally "mabuti nga" with his statements supporting the removal of Filipinos working in US bases. Our government profited from the millions of dollars sent home by our Filipinos in Iraq and never even said thank you and now they are cheering the decision of the Iraqi government for sending home 15,000 Filipinos. Usec. Conejos should be removed from office for not even defending our workers.
USec Conejos, are you even thinking at all
USec Conejos...I think you should resign and let other people take your position. You are so unprofessional!!How could a government official say such a word "mabuti nga".You are such a big waste in the government..Getting your monthly salary from the peoples taxes out of doing nothing to protect the people at all.
i can't believe this
i think conejos and dimzon are not updated. shame on you! you were suppose to know the real situation here but yet you base your statements way back years ago. it just show that you are only sitting there on your desk and waiting for something good to come to you! how do you expect us to trust you with your nonsense press releases? nepali government is way better that you guys. tell me if you want a copy of the memorandum that you claim that you have read. i'll be glad to post it here for you.