Despite economic gains in PHL, Pinoys still seek work abroad

Published on Thursday, 29 November 2012 20:59

Written by Estrella Torres / Reporter

Despite the rosy picture of gross domestic product (GDP) growth at 7.1 percent in the last quarter, groups of migrant workers gathered in Manila said Filipinos are still among those who would rather work abroad to escape from “poverty, unemployment and uncertainty.”

Some 1,000 leaders of the World Social Forum on Migration (WSFM) gathered here said the global financial and economic crisis has taken its toll on migrant workers, including Filipinos whose right to social protection and decent jobs is abused overseas.

Ellene Sana, director of the Center for Migrant Advocacy (CMA), said there is a big demand for migrant workers across the world particularly in the euro zone but their governments impose restrictions on entry of new workers and those already there suffer from reduced salary, lack of social security.

“Poverty, unemployment and economic uncertainty in the country force many Filipinos to seek and find employment in other countries and regions. This is a classic case of migrating out of necessity rather than free choice,” said CMA discussion paper in the WSFM.

ENJOY GOOD LIFE + INVESTMENT, CLICK HERE 

“Host countries should show political will to embrace and recognize the rights of migrant workers based on international laws prescribed by the United Nations and International Labor Organizations,” said Sana in an interview at the sidelines of the WSFM meeting that concluded on Thursday in Miriam College in Quezon City.

She said salary cuts and longer working hours are experienced by many Filipino workers because of the global financial crisis.

 “When their employers lose their jobs, they are usually retained but must work longer hours with reduced salary,” said Sana.

She said hundreds of workers in Europe have experienced heavy indebtedness since they have to continue to send money back home despite their reduced salaries. These workers are mostly in Italy, which is host to more than 80,000 Filipino workers, mostly domestic helpers.

The migrant-rights advocate, meanwhile, welcomed the government’s measure to impose a minimum $400 monthly salary for Filipino workers leaving abroad and make it a requirement for employers to sign a contract on the minimum salary.

“But when these Filipino workers are deployed abroad, our government does not have a mechanism to ensure that the workers receive the required minimum salary,” she said.

Sana said the forum on migration serves as platform for discussion and sharing of best practices among counterpart sending countries to improve the situation of the migrant workers.

The Philippines is the third-largest recipient of remittances, which is expected to reach $24 billion by end of the year. At least 10 percent or 9 million of the nation’s population are working abroad.