Sen. Pia Cayetano, during Wednesday’s plenary session, September 21, 2022, laments seeing overseas Filipino workers on the way abroad wearing personal protective equipment complete with face shields, gloves and footsies while waiting for their airlines to arrive at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Senate PRIB / Bibo Nueva España
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Pia Cayetano questioned on Wednesday the wearing of personal protective equipment (PPE) of select overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3.
Cayetano lamented that the OFWs in airports are wearing complete PPE sets including a shoe cover.
“So I just asked around and was told later on that they are OFWs. Your honor, I’d like to point out that they are in complete PPE, including the footsies that you only see in operating rooms,” Cayetano shared during the plenary session.
“Here we have our OFWs naka-(in) full PPE, with face shields, footsies, and gloves. It’s ridiculous, your honors. I feel so bad for them because it is not comfortable wearing those,” she stressed.
Cayetano informed Department of Migrant Workers Secretary Toots Ople on the matter.
Ople said that wearing full PPE sets is not required for departing OFWs, the senator said.
For Cayetano, if OFWs are required to wear full PPEs against COVID-19 when entering the country of destination, it is discrimination as she did not see such requirement online. Otherwise, certain people are taking advantage of the pandemic, she said.
“So, either there is discrimination against our own nationals or may rumaraket, merong nakikinabang, may nagte-take advantage ng COVID situation na pinipilit ang ating mga OFWs na maghirap. Kasi hindi ho madali na magsuot ng ganyan, at malamang magbayad,” she pointed out.
(So, either there is discrimination against our own nationals or someone is benefitting, taking advantage of our COVID situation who is forcing our OFWs to suffer. Because it is not easy to wear and pay for that.)
Cayetano called on the Senate to scrutinize the issue and be of help to affected OFWs.
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