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MANILA: Philippine labor migration stakeholders welcomed on Friday the institution of a brand new company aimed toward defending the welfare of abroad Filipino staff — 2.2 million individuals who contribute billions of {dollars} to the nation’s financial system.    

Known as “modern-day heroes,” the abroad staff are one of many foremost drivers behind the nation’s financial progress. Their remittance inflows account for practically 10 % of Philippine GDP.

In 2021 alone, abroad Filipino staff, or OFWs, contributed $28.8 billion to the Philippine financial system, in line with the nation’s central financial institution.    

A invoice establishing the brand new company, the Division of Migrant Employees, was signed into regulation by President Rodrigo Duterte into regulation on Thursday, coinciding with Rizal Day — a Philippine nationwide vacation commemorating Nineteenth-century doctor and man of letters José Rizal, who was an inspiration to the Philippine nationalist motion and is thought to be one of many nation’s nationwide heroes.   

The brand new division is a success of Duterte’s 2016 presidential marketing campaign promise to consolidate all related companies to streamline authorities companies and help for OFWs.   

“With their very own division to maintain their wants and safety, OFWs anticipate a extra acutely aware and unified method in advancing migrant rights and curiosity,” the Philippine Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Adnan Alonto instructed Arab Information.   

As probably the most most well-liked vacation spot amongst Filipino migrant staff, Saudi Arabia would be the web site to check the effectiveness of the brand new company.    

“As house to nearly a million abroad staff, KSA (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) would be the foremost situs to the regulation’s implementation and effectiveness,” Alonto mentioned.   

Overseas Affairs Undersecretary Sarah Lou Arriola instructed reporters the creation of the division displays the nation’s dedication to establishing a landmark migration administration system in accordance with the 2018 World Compact for Protected, Orderly, and Common Migration, generally known as GCM.    

The GCM is an intergovernmental settlement beneath the auspices of the UN to cowl all dimensions of worldwide migration, together with the safety of labor migrants.   

“We’re the primary nation on the earth to enact this. We’re a trailblazer and it’s the primary regulation on the earth that has the GCM in its coverage,” Arriola mentioned.    

“We’re very joyful as a result of this can be a victory for our OFWs who lobbied for this regulation for near greater than 5 years, because the starting of the Duterte administration.”  

Raymond Mendoza, principal creator of the Division of Migrant Employees invoice and president of the Commerce Union Congress of the Philippines, mentioned in a press release to Arab Information that each one the wants of OFWs will probably be taken care of beneath the newly created company.    

“One division signifies that there will probably be harmonization of applications and the removing of pointless necessities that incentivize fixers and unlawful recruiters. We now take away the paper chase for numerous transactions and wanted help from one company to a different,” he mentioned.   

“As well as, the regulation offers for clear parameters for moral recruitment, which is the lawful hiring of OFWs in a good and clear method that respects and protects their dignity and human rights.”

However the creation of the brand new division has additionally attracted criticism.   

Migrante Worldwide, a world alliance of OFWs, mentioned on social media the division may create “extra confusion” amongst staff, including that there are fears that the funds will prioritize administration over authorized and welfare companies.  

Migrante Worldwide representatives weren’t accessible for remark.    

Kanlungan Middle Basis, a non-profit group devoted to the rights of migrant staff, expressed hope that the brand new company will handle labor migration points, similar to abuse and wage theft.

“We glance ahead and can proceed to say that the curiosity and welfare of all migrants ought to (be) the paramount concern of the brand new division and that the companies and help that the migrants want will probably be supplied always, and that full safety of labour have to be upheld,” Kanlungan instructed Arab Information.

The group added it was hopeful that these appointed to handle the division will “have a observe report of upholding the rights of migrant staff and their households.”