HINILING ni Senador Leila De Lima sa Senado na magsagawa ng malawakang pag-aaral sa patakaran at pagkilos na kinasasangkutan ng repatriation at assistance program na ibinibigay sa Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) sa panahon ng krisis sa kalusugan.

Sa pahayag, sinabi ni De Lima na layunin ng Senate Resolution No. 497 na atasan ang kinauukulang komite ng Senado na suriin ang kasalukuyan kalagayan ng OFW repatriation and assistance programs ng pamahalaan sa gitna ng ulat na patuloy na naangtala at kapalpakan ng implementasyon nito.

“There is an apparent lack of true understanding that the plight of the OFWs only begins with repatriation – that they would need further assistance to rehabilitate and reintegrate themselves back to the society upon return to the Philippines. Bringing them home is but a step, not the whole process,” aniya.

“Months after the implementation of the repatriation program, the concerned agencies have yet to come up with a coordinated and holistic approach to assist displaced OFWs who have signified interest to return to the Philippines to be with their families amid the pandemic,” dagdag ng senador.

Nagkaroon ng di inaasahang epekto ang COVID-19 sa pandaigdigang ekonomiya, negosyo at manggagawa, kaya tinaya ng International Labor Organization (ILO) na aabot sa 2.2 bilyong manggagawa o kumakatawan sa 68 porsiyento ng global workforce na naninirahan sa bansang ipinasara ang lugar-pagawaan.

Iniulat kamakailan ng Department of Labor and Employment na aabot sa 400,000 OFWs ang nawalan ng trabaho sa iba’t-ibang bansa na tinamaan ng COVID-19 pero tinaya naman ng ilang analyst na aabot sa isang milyon OFWs ang nawalan ng trabaho sa abroad.

Nitong Hunyo 29, iniulat ng Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), na may 8,467 kabuuang kumpirmadong kaso ng COVID-19 sa OFWs sa 59 bansa/rehiyon.

Sa paghahain ng resolusyon, ikinalungkot ni De Lima na nakaranas ang mga OFWs sa mga ahensiya ng pamahalaan ng degrading treatment kahit tungkulin nilang pangalagaaan at proteksiyunan ang kanilang kalusugan at kagalingan sa kapag bumalik sila sa bansa.

“These include OFWs undergoing prolonged quarantine procedures due to delays and inefficiencies in testing and processing of documents , having to camp underneath a flyover for days at a time due to vague and contradictory policies concerning stranded individuals, and having to deal with limited job prospects and potentially extended periods of unemployment upon their return,” aniya.

Naunang iniulat ni Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Administrator Hans Cacdac na gagamitin ang mahigit P5 bilyong allotment at cash allocation na ipinalabas ng Department of Budget and Management (DBM) noong June 24 upang punan ang Emergency Repatriation Fund ng DOLE-OWWA at gamitin sa “food, accommodation and transport of the repatriated OFWs.”

“OWWA is seemingly oblivious of the true nature of the plight of OFWs who are forced by the global pandemic to come home,” ayon kay De Lima, chairman ng Senate Committee on Social Justice, Welfare and Rural Development “The situation for OFWs in the Philippines is fraught with too much risk and uncertainty that around 191,000 displaced OFWs have chosen to forego a return to the country and take their chances abroad instead,” aniya.

“The evident distrust and lack of confidence from a large contingent of displaced OFWs abroad in the government’s capacity to take care of their needs during this time of pandemic is indicative of its overall failure to adequately address the needs of the Filipino people, OFWs included, arising from the COVID-19 outbreak,” dagdag ng senador. (ERNIE REYES)