US$2-M Fund to Assist LebanonOFWS
Labor and Employment Secretary Arturo D. Brion today said that the Philippine government has activated a US$2-million (more than PhP100 million) fund to be used for the possible evacuation of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Lebanon should the hostilities there escalate further.
Brion, in a press conference, said that in response to the request of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration’s (OWWA) Board of Trustees has expeditiously authorized the activation of the standby fund as part of the government’s calibrated responses to the Lebanon crisis affecting the OFWs.
As this developed, the Labor Chief said that a direct flight link has now been established between Manila and Damascus, the Capital City of Syria, to facilitate the repatriation of OFWs.
Brion also said he has directed the OWWA to provide telephone lines and enable the families to get in touch with their OFW loved ones in Lebanon at the OWWA Center in FB Harrison Street corner Gil Puyat Avenue in Pasay City, as well as in regional centers nationwide.
On the field, Brion has also activated the Philippine Overseas Labor Offices (POLOs) in neighboring Middle Eastern economies to augment the POLO in Beirut in assisting the OFWs, and in the possible transit points for OFW repatriation such as Damascus or Cyprus.
The POLO in Beirut, headed by Labor Attache Maria Glenda Manalo, has linked up with the Pilipino Community Mobilizers (PCM), an OFW group in Lebanon, to facilitate linkage and assist OFWs in every way possible, including being prepared for possible relocation or evacuation.
At this juncture, Brion clarified that the Philippines has now raised its Contingency Plan to assist the OFWs in Lebanon to Alert Level 3, which means that for their safety and protection, OFWs must stick closely with their employers, or as the situation warrants, proceed to the nearest relocation centers.
Brion emphasized the importance of the phased, calibrated responses to the crisis in order to assist the OFWs effectively, in lieu of unwarranted reactions that may compromise their safety or efficient response. (DOLE Information and Publication Service)
No New General Nurses for UK
The United Kingdom Home Office has announced the removal of general nurses from the shortage occupation list, and retaining only those with specific field of specialization.
The new policy which will take effect on August 14, 2006, would mean that UK employers, both the NHS and independent health providers would have to satisfy first the resident labor market test before they can recruit general nurses from abroad. Employers recruiting general nurses will have to advertise any vacancies first and demonstrate to the Work Permit UK that they cannot fill the same with a UK or EEA applicant or that no resident nationals were considered suitable.
Under the present policy, employers recruiting international nurses of whatever categories can apply directly to the Home Office for a work permit without need to advertise the vacancies.
The new policy, however, does not cover the following categories of nurses which were still included in the shortage occupation list: audiology, sleep/respiratory physiology, neurophysiology, operating theater nursing, clinical radiology, pathology, and critical care.
Other skills which are still included in the shortage occupation list are midwives, railway engineers, structural/bridge engineers, transportation and highway engineers, CAA licensed aircraft engineers, veterinary surgeons, among others.
The new policy will have no effect to nurses currently working in the UK. (POEA)
Pinoy Doctors for Korea in 2007
The Ministry of Health and Welfare of South Korea recently announced its plan to revise the enforcement regulations in the Medical Law of Korea which is expected to be finalized in September.
The Philippine Embassy in Seoul reported that based on the new regulation, foreign doctors with medical licenses will be allowed to get jobs at Korean hospitals starting March 2007. A foreign doctor will be allowed to treat patients who have the same nationality as the doctor or who speaks the same language.
However, the foreign doctors will not be allowed to give medical treatment to Koreans.
The proposed revision would pave the way for the entry of Filipino doctors to Korea to take care of the needs of some 45,000 Filipinos and 400,000 English speaking nationals residing in Korea.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare is expected to develop detailed criteria about the qualifications and process of permitting foreign doctors to practice their profession before the end of the year. (POEA)
OFW Welfare
Vice President Noli ‘Kabayan” De Castro expressed his support for the priority plan of incoming Department of Labor and Employment Secretary Arturo Brion that will principally promote the welfare of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), specifically protecting them from illegal recruitment.
Also the concurrent presidential adviser on OFWs, Vice President De Castro believes that Secretary Brion’s priority plan for OFWs reflects the government’s sincerity in ensuring the safety and well being of the country’s new heroes. The Vice President believes that there is still illegal recruitment although measures for stiffer penalties have already been passed into law to deter culprits.
For his part, Vice President De Castro already coordinated with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to carry out his proposed reward system for OFWs on their remittances. He proposed the institution of a raffle promotion as an added attraction that would be appreciated by OFWs and their families.
In his reply, BSP Governor Armando Tetangco, Jr. apprised the Vice President that among the programs BSP is currently in the final phase of reviewing the feasibility of the said raffle program which would also put emphasis in carefully studying the rules and mechanics to govern the raffle program for OFWs, including the use of electronic coupons therefore.
Tetangco also wrote that among the thorny issues raised include reputational risks in view of numerous text scams invoking the BSP’s name, administrative difficulties in implementing a nationwide raffle program; and anticipated limited additionality given that banks are estimated to have captured 85 percent of total remittances in 2005.
Vice President De Castro’s proposal aims to grant a reward scheme to OFWs, through a raffle system done monthly. The OFW would earn one raffle coupon for every remittance transaction of US$100 they would make through formal channels. At present, the average amount of monthly remittance transaction made by OFWs ranges from US$300 to US$400.
Considering the great contribution of the OFW remittances in the attainment of the 5.5 per cent gross national product growth of the economy in the first quarter, the Vice President observes that it is only proper to push for ways in easing the burden of the OFWs, particularly in the remittance of their hard-earned income.
One of such ways that has been suggested is for the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to coordinate with the local banking system on how to lower and mitigate the banking charges and service fees imposed on remittances by OFWs.
Vice President De Castro also suggested to BSP to study the feasibility of providing a “special exchange rate” for OFWs that would give them higher remittance when converted to peso. (OVP)
No New Jobs for Spain Yet
Administrator Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz said the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration was not accepting applications for jobs in Spain and the reported 100,000 jobs were not yet available pending the guidelines for the recruitment of Filipino workers for the said country.
Baldoz said there were no such job orders yet from employers in Spain except those from Servicio De Prevencion De Riesgos Grupo Los Nogales for the projecto piloto or pilot project for caregivers. The foreign principal is represented in the Philippines by Sunace International Management Services. The job order was approved by the POEA on March 22, 2006.
The job order included vacancies for nurses, occupational and physical therapists, and caregivers. Sunace has deployed 56 caregivers to Spain as of July.
The Philippines and Spain have signed a memorandum of agreement allowing the entry of 100,000 Filipino workers into the latter’s health sector during the state visit of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo last week.
With its graying population, Spain is expected to need one million foreign workers within the next five years.
Baldoz said jobseekers should wait for further announcements regarding the Spain jobs and cautioned them not to fall prey to illegal recruiters and other unscrupulous persons who may offer them work that are not yet available.
Baldoz also advised applicants to report to the POEA any persons who are recruiting for Spain without valid authorization or license. The POEA hotlines are 722-1144 and 722-1155. (POEA)
Saudi to Punish Illegal Foreign Workers and Employers
The Shoura Council, the parliament of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, recently approved a law to name violators of the Kingdom’s residency law as well as citizens who hire overstaying foreigners for work.
The legislation was prodded by a report of the Security Committee urging council members to take action on the increasing number of illegal foreign workers in the Kingdom.
With this development, POEA Administrator Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz warned job applicants anew against accepting work visas issued by employers which are not their legal sponsors or accepting tourist visas for work in the Middle East or any other country.
Baldoz also noted that some illegal recruiters, using fake documents, send Filipino workers to Saudi Arabia as pilgrims to Mecca.
The report said that in the past three years 213,000 or nine percent of all Umrah pilgrims failed to return to their home countries and were staying in Saudi Arabia illegally. Other experts estimated the number of overstaying foreigners in KSA to reach as high as 400,000.
The new legislation allows the Saudi government to publish the names of the offenders in a newspaper where they reside.
The current law on residency which was set by a Royal Decree punishes the employer with SR100,000 fine and two years imprisonment, and SR50,000 fine and a jail term of one year for the illegal worker. (POEA)
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