OFW Family Partylist intensifies campaign vs large-scale human trafficking scheme

By: Dennis Gutierrez - 3 years ago

OFW FAMILY Party List 2nd Nominee Rhodge Bermudez shares the party’s platform of government to the residents of San Fernando, Pampanga

MANILA, Philippines — OFW Family Partylist, which is seeking re-election, has intensified its campaign against large scale illegal recruitment and human trafficking.

Roy Señeres Jr., the leading partylist nominee for the upcoming May 2022 polls, said foreign recruitment agencies have been working in tandem with their local counterparts to recruit Filipinas from impoverished areas.

“Kadalasan nakafocus sa mga kababaihan ang binibiktima ng mga illegal recruiters para magtrabaho bilang domestic workers. Ang nangyayari ang mga far flung, poverty-striken areas nagiging haven ng illegal recruiters para magrecruit by the volume,” he said.

“Because of high demand for domestic workers perticularly in Middle Eastern countries, foreign recruitment instutions are charging employers per head at an exhorbitant amount. Kaya naiincentivized ang mga ahente, nagrerecruit sa malalayong lugar sa mga pamilyang less educated. Madali silang mahikayat at dun sila nabibiktima.”

Señeres said these foreign recruiters get local representation and compete with legitimate recruitment agencies.

“They are doing all these under the guise of legal recruitment kasi may representation sila ng Philippine recruitment agencies here,” he said.

127 OFW FAMILY at the ONE CEBU – Pilar Proclamation Rally (Camotes Island, Cebu)

“Iyon ang mga bagay na kailangang busisiin ng mabuti sa Kongreso para siguraduhing mapanagot natin ang mga wrong doers,” adds OFW Family Partylist 2nd nominee, Rhodge Bermudez.

OFW Family Partylist , #127 on the ballot, is one of the principal authors of the bill that led to the creation of the newly-created Department of Migrant Workers.

The department is expected to start operations by 2023.

It will be composed of officials from the POEA, the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs or UMWA from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA); Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) National Reintegration Center for OFWs, National Maritime Polytechnic (NMP), all under the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE); and Office of National Social Welfare Attaché (OSWA) from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

Señeres said they want enough legal personnel to back up the department to prosecute illegal recruiters.

“Our job now is to see to it as a follow through to come up with a legislation para palakasin ang kakayahan nila to prosecute the illegal recruiters,” he said.