Union of Catholic Asian News » News Archive » Laid-off Workers Shop For Jobs At Christmastime: "Daisy Rumbaoa’s expected return from Taiwan this Christmas season is causing her family worries.
The youngest child of a sickly carpenter is among thousands of overseas Filipino workers (OFW) who have lost their jobs as part of a global recession.
Relatives expect her to return this month, her father, Elpidio Rumbaoa, told UCA News on Dec. 6 at his home in San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte province, 300 kilometers north of Manila.
“We pray that my daughter can find another job” overseas, the 60-year-old widower said. “She is our family’s hope.”
Latest records of the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency show 6,800 land-based workers from the province were deployed abroad between 2005 and 2007.
Elpidio worries that even if Daisy found work in the Philippines, it would not pay enough for her to continue supporting the family. His daughter has a degree in engineering but failed the Philippine board exams. She left two years ago and has been working in a factory in Taiwan.
Her salary there has enabled her to send home money for her father’s medical expenses and high-school tuition fees of her nieces and nephews.
The Taiwan chapter of Migrante International, an OFW alliance, recorded 2,054 workers as"
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
News Alert for: ofw taiwan
News Alert for: ofw taiwan
| Special visas sought for OFW employers Inquirer.net - Philippines In a letter sent to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Friday, the recruiters called for the extension toOFW employers the benefits of Executive Order No ... See all stories on this topic |
| No OFW layoffs in Saudi, says envoy Manila Bulletin - Philippines The Saudi diplomat wrote Roque reiterating his assurance amid reports OFWs are being laid off in some countries, including Taiwan. ... See all stories on this topic |
| OFW HIRING IN TAIWAN, SOUTH KOREA SLOWS DOWN Philippine Headline News - Manila,Philippines The local recruitment industry yesterday reported a slowdown in the hiring of Filipino factory workers inTaiwan and South Korea and the downtrend is ... See all stories on this topic |
| Don’t fret, Arroyo tells laid off OFWs Inquirer.net - Philippines By TJ Burgonio Although over 100 Filipino factory workers were retrenched in Taiwan, there are over 1000 job openings in hotels and restaurants awaiting ... See all stories on this topic |
| Through the Looking Glass: Club Dread Business Mirror - Philippines ... contracts involving our overseas Filipino workers (OFW) were winding down and the prospects of renewals were dim. Specifically, in Taiwan, a list was ... See all stories on this topic |
| Squash-enriched hot pandesal Manila Bulletin - Philippines ... a former overseas Filipino worker (OFW). With a small capital, Constante planted 2000 square meters to the Phoenix solo squash, a variety from Taiwan ... See all stories on this topic |
| Other Parts of the World DOLE: Displaced OFWs on the rise Philippine Star - Manila,Philippines The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) yesterday reported that at least 700 more OFWs inTaiwan and other countries were laid off from their jobs. ... See all stories on this topic |
| Gov't sets programs for OFWs displaced by financial crisis ABS CBN News - Philippines On Tuesday, 82 OFWs returned to the Philippines after they were laid off in Taiwan. The OFWs laid off from the Ace Company Ltd., a semi-conductor company in ... See all stories on this topic |
| Jobless OFWs to arrive from Taiwan Inquirer.net - Philippines Citing reports from Taiwan-based migrant labor groups, Panlilio said some 3000 OFWs were expected to be laid off before the end of the year as Taiwan faced ... See all stories on this topic |
| PGMA orders government agencies to prepare contingency measures ... Balita.org - Minsterley,England,UK Reports said that some 300 OFWs have been retrenched from the export and manufacturing companies in Taiwan as a result of global financial crisis. (PNA) See all stories on this topic |
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
The Financial Crunch
The Financial Crunch: "A thousand more overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) have lost their jobs in export-dependent industrial companies of Taiwan, the Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants (APMM) said.
At the same time, a recruiters’ group said the Philippines has lost 20,000 potential caretaker jobs for Taiwan next year due to the omnibus household service workers rules imposed in 2006."
At the same time, a recruiters’ group said the Philippines has lost 20,000 potential caretaker jobs for Taiwan next year due to the omnibus household service workers rules imposed in 2006."
Monday, November 10, 2008
Labor fees for Taiwan hires cut
Labor fees for Taiwan hires cut: "There are over 100,000 Filipino workers in Taiwan right now, mostly through brokers and recruitment agencies that charge unconscionably high rates.
Basilio said it is estimated that foreign workers could save up to NT$100,000 (P144,991) in brokerage expenses. “That’s prohibitively high. We could help put an end to this practice through our special hiring facility with Taiwan.”"
Basilio said it is estimated that foreign workers could save up to NT$100,000 (P144,991) in brokerage expenses. “That’s prohibitively high. We could help put an end to this practice through our special hiring facility with Taiwan.”"
LOCAL NEWS: Slowdown in hiring of Filipino factory workers in Taiwan, South Korea noted | Home - Other Sections - Breaking News
LOCAL NEWS: Slowdown in hiring of Filipino factory workers in Taiwan, South Korea noted | Home - Other Sections - Breaking News: "Filipino factory workers could be the first to bear the brunt of the global economic crisis.
The local recruitment industry yesterday reported a slowdown in the hiring of Filipino factory workers in Taiwan and South Korea and the downtrend is expected to continue in the coming year.
Jackson Gan, Federated Association of Manpower Exporters (FAME) vice president, said commercial firms in Taiwan already notified the industry of a possible freeze in hiring of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) next year.
“Taiwanese businessmen told us that they will not be laying off workers, but they will also not be hiring additional foreign workers in the coming year. So we are no longer getting additional job orders from Taiwan at this time,” he said.
Gan noted that they have already recorded a drop in the deployment of factory workers to Taiwan and South Korea as compared to last year."
The local recruitment industry yesterday reported a slowdown in the hiring of Filipino factory workers in Taiwan and South Korea and the downtrend is expected to continue in the coming year.
Jackson Gan, Federated Association of Manpower Exporters (FAME) vice president, said commercial firms in Taiwan already notified the industry of a possible freeze in hiring of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) next year.
“Taiwanese businessmen told us that they will not be laying off workers, but they will also not be hiring additional foreign workers in the coming year. So we are no longer getting additional job orders from Taiwan at this time,” he said.
Gan noted that they have already recorded a drop in the deployment of factory workers to Taiwan and South Korea as compared to last year."
Monday, October 27, 2008
The houses that migrant workers build but do not live in | ABS-CBN News Online Beta
The houses that migrant workers build but do not live in | ABS-CBN News Online Beta: "Houses without people
Overseas labor migration, which started in the 1980s, has transformed Sumilang.
The village used to be an agrarian, artisanal, and petty-trading village, located some five kilometers inland from the coastal town center. Today, a large segment of its population of nearly 2,000 persons work overseas, mostly in Spain and Italy. A sizeable number of them also work in the Persian Gulf states, Canada, and Taiwan.
Why these absent workers send money to build houses they do not live in continues to baffle many observers of the Philippine labor migration phenomenon.
A few who consider migrants as poor deem the construction of a costly house in the “middle of nowhere” as a case of misplaced values, if not a waste of scarce resources.
If not houses, some buy electrical appliances like refrigerators and washing machines, even when the village has no electricity. Anecdotes abound of migrant workers who introduce such modernity to their remote villages.
Some economists explain such spending as stimulating demand for consumer goods and services, which ultimately increases production."
Overseas labor migration, which started in the 1980s, has transformed Sumilang.
The village used to be an agrarian, artisanal, and petty-trading village, located some five kilometers inland from the coastal town center. Today, a large segment of its population of nearly 2,000 persons work overseas, mostly in Spain and Italy. A sizeable number of them also work in the Persian Gulf states, Canada, and Taiwan.
Why these absent workers send money to build houses they do not live in continues to baffle many observers of the Philippine labor migration phenomenon.
A few who consider migrants as poor deem the construction of a costly house in the “middle of nowhere” as a case of misplaced values, if not a waste of scarce resources.
If not houses, some buy electrical appliances like refrigerators and washing machines, even when the village has no electricity. Anecdotes abound of migrant workers who introduce such modernity to their remote villages.
Some economists explain such spending as stimulating demand for consumer goods and services, which ultimately increases production."
OFW in Taiwan gets death penalty - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos
OFW in Taiwan gets death penalty - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos: "MANILA, Philippines – (UPDATE) A Filipina who taught English in Taiwan was sentenced to death by the Kaoshiung District Court for the murder of her job broker in September last year, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Friday.
In a phone interview, DFA undersecretary for Migrant Workers' Affairs Esteban Conejos Jr. said the decision was handed down September 30 this year.
'The first hearing of the appeal would be on the first week of November,' he said.
Citing court records, Conejos said Nemencia Armia, an undocumented teacher whose visa had expired, had a heated argument over money with her female Taiwanese job broker in the apartment Armia was sharing with an American man.
'The court said she stabbed the victim to death with a knife, took her ATM card, and made several withdrawals using the ATM,' he said."
In a phone interview, DFA undersecretary for Migrant Workers' Affairs Esteban Conejos Jr. said the decision was handed down September 30 this year.
'The first hearing of the appeal would be on the first week of November,' he said.
Citing court records, Conejos said Nemencia Armia, an undocumented teacher whose visa had expired, had a heated argument over money with her female Taiwanese job broker in the apartment Armia was sharing with an American man.
'The court said she stabbed the victim to death with a knife, took her ATM card, and made several withdrawals using the ATM,' he said."
Monday, October 20, 2008
OFWs in Taiwan to keep jobs--recruiter - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos
OFWs in Taiwan to keep jobs--recruiter - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos: "MANILA, Philippines -- Factories in Taiwan are slowing down operations due to cancelled orders from Western countries, but they are not shutting down, a recruiter of Filipino workers there said Tuesday.
Therefore, the 100,000 or so Filipinos working in Taiwan will continue to do so although they will be spending shorter hours, particularly on overtime, said Jackson Gan, president of the Pilipino Manpower Agencies Accredited to Taiwan (Pilmat).
Taiwan factory owners 'intend to keep their Filipino workers on site and to just reduce overtime hours for some factories. Other companies may re-tool their production lines and concentrate on their other electronics products,' Gan said, quoting his clients there."
Therefore, the 100,000 or so Filipinos working in Taiwan will continue to do so although they will be spending shorter hours, particularly on overtime, said Jackson Gan, president of the Pilipino Manpower Agencies Accredited to Taiwan (Pilmat).
Taiwan factory owners 'intend to keep their Filipino workers on site and to just reduce overtime hours for some factories. Other companies may re-tool their production lines and concentrate on their other electronics products,' Gan said, quoting his clients there."
Monday, October 13, 2008
Microsoft donates $600,000 for OFW training - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos
Microsoft donates $600,000 for OFW training - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos: "icrosoft said it is donating more than $600,000 worth of cash and software to a computer learning program for overseas Filipino workers.
This is part of the program, dubbed Tulay, which is Microsoft' global Unlimited Potential initiative that involves technology-oriented programs aimed at developing countries.
The grant, valued at exactly $633,000 according to Microsoft, was announced during official turn-over ceremonies Friday attended by Vice President Noli De Castro.
This latest grant was turned over to the Blas F. Ople Policy Center and Training Institute, a local NGO and Microsoft's program partner.
Launched in 2004, the program has established 14 so-called community technology learning centers locally and in other countries including Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan.
These centers cater to OFWs and their families who are trained on using basic Microsoft programs and the Internet to communicate via email and instant messaging."
This is part of the program, dubbed Tulay, which is Microsoft' global Unlimited Potential initiative that involves technology-oriented programs aimed at developing countries.
The grant, valued at exactly $633,000 according to Microsoft, was announced during official turn-over ceremonies Friday attended by Vice President Noli De Castro.
This latest grant was turned over to the Blas F. Ople Policy Center and Training Institute, a local NGO and Microsoft's program partner.
Launched in 2004, the program has established 14 so-called community technology learning centers locally and in other countries including Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan.
These centers cater to OFWs and their families who are trained on using basic Microsoft programs and the Internet to communicate via email and instant messaging."
Monday, August 4, 2008
DOLE eyes high-paying jobs in Taiwan - Yahoo! Philippines News
DOLE eyes high-paying jobs in Taiwan - Yahoo! Philippines News: "The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) reportedtoday that the government of Taiwan is set to implement a new policy on hiring of highly skilled Filipino workers.
'The Taiwanese government is set to implement new rules on employment which we expect to provide better and quality employment for the estimated 90,000 Filipino workers already there in Taiwan,' Roque disclosed.
Roque further noted that the Taipei and Manila Economic and Cultural Office also forged an agreement to provide training for Filipino caregivers who will work in Taiwan."
'The Taiwanese government is set to implement new rules on employment which we expect to provide better and quality employment for the estimated 90,000 Filipino workers already there in Taiwan,' Roque disclosed.
Roque further noted that the Taipei and Manila Economic and Cultural Office also forged an agreement to provide training for Filipino caregivers who will work in Taiwan."
The Manila Times Internet Edition | OFW TIMES > Migration ups OFWs’ democratic wishes, says study
The Manila Times Internet Edition | OFW TIMES > Migration ups OFWs’ democratic wishes, says study: "OVERSEAS Filipino workers’ (OFWs) experiences and learnings abroad have been identified as a major reason for their discontent over the social, economic and political performance of the Philippine government among returning migrants, said researchers involved in the research project entitled Democratization through Migration?
The study noted that this factor is true across migrants, regardless of the political system prevailing in their host country, as long as they have been exposed to a society with a functioning economy that has provided for the material needs of its citizens.
This is one of the main results of a study presented on July 29 at the Dr. Alfredo J. Ganapin Advocacy Forum organized by the Center for Migrant Advocacy (CMA) and the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung.
Said Ellene Sana, CMA executive director, “These findings that identify the potential effects of migration on the democratization process in the Philippines are highly relevant as these perceptions have the potential to weaken and diffuse support for democracy, combined with a widespread sentiment of powerlessness conveyed in the interviews.”"
The study noted that this factor is true across migrants, regardless of the political system prevailing in their host country, as long as they have been exposed to a society with a functioning economy that has provided for the material needs of its citizens.
This is one of the main results of a study presented on July 29 at the Dr. Alfredo J. Ganapin Advocacy Forum organized by the Center for Migrant Advocacy (CMA) and the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung.
Said Ellene Sana, CMA executive director, “These findings that identify the potential effects of migration on the democratization process in the Philippines are highly relevant as these perceptions have the potential to weaken and diffuse support for democracy, combined with a widespread sentiment of powerlessness conveyed in the interviews.”"
Monday, July 21, 2008
Gov’t urged to prepare for economic dislocation of OFWs - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos
Gov’t urged to prepare for economic dislocation of OFWs - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos: "MANILA, Philippines -- Worried over the possible displacement of overseas Filipino workers due to the economic slump that has affected some key countries, a labor group on Monday called on the government to take strong measures to protect OFWs from economic dislocation.
The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) said the government should closely monitor the number of OFWs who would be laid off as foreign employers choose to cut down on labor costs or decide to replace them with locals.
For instance, there could be a possible displacement of workers in Taiwan since relations between the island and mainland China have begun to warm up. The TUCP noted that there were at present some 90,000 Filipino workers in Taiwan."
The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) said the government should closely monitor the number of OFWs who would be laid off as foreign employers choose to cut down on labor costs or decide to replace them with locals.
For instance, there could be a possible displacement of workers in Taiwan since relations between the island and mainland China have begun to warm up. The TUCP noted that there were at present some 90,000 Filipino workers in Taiwan."
Sunday, July 13, 2008
OFWs THREATENED BY WARMING TIES BETWEEN CHINA AND TAIWAN
OFWs THREATENED BY WARMING TIES BETWEEN CHINA AND TAIWAN: "Filipinos might lose jobs in Taiwan following the détente between China and the island nation, according to an association of labor recruiters.
Jackson Gan, Federated Association of Manpower Exporters (FAME) vice president, said the situation is a threat to the employment of 100,000 Filipino workers in Taiwan.
“The warming relations between China and Taiwan could lead to serious loss of jobs for Filipinos unless government exert efforts to increase investments of Taiwanese in the country,” he said.
The increasing good relations between the two countries may encourage Taiwan to move more of its factories to China, where Chinese workers could be hired instead of Filipinos, he added.
However, Gan said the government could revise investment policies to attract Taiwanese industrialists to move their small and medium scale factories to Northern Luzon instead China."
Jackson Gan, Federated Association of Manpower Exporters (FAME) vice president, said the situation is a threat to the employment of 100,000 Filipino workers in Taiwan.
“The warming relations between China and Taiwan could lead to serious loss of jobs for Filipinos unless government exert efforts to increase investments of Taiwanese in the country,” he said.
The increasing good relations between the two countries may encourage Taiwan to move more of its factories to China, where Chinese workers could be hired instead of Filipinos, he added.
However, Gan said the government could revise investment policies to attract Taiwanese industrialists to move their small and medium scale factories to Northern Luzon instead China."
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Philippines: Migrants
Migration News. 2008. Philippines: Migrants. April. Vol 15. No 2. http://migration.ucdavis.edu
The Philippines sent 1.1 million workers abroad in 2007, the same as in 2006, meaning that an average of 3,000 Filipinos a day left for foreign jobs. They included 810,000 land-based migrants and 264,000 sea-based migrants. Recruiters say that Filipino migrant workers account for 30 percent of the air passengers entering and leaving the Philippines.
Filipinos are about 28 percent of those manning the world's ships. Most seamen work on eight- to 10-month contracts, earning at least $1,100 a month. About 20 percent each are deployed on cruise ships and bulk carrier ships, followed by 13 percent each on container ships and tankers; most carry crews of 21, seven workers for each of three shifts.
The government reports migrant outflow data in several ways. About 312,000 land-based migrants, 38 percent, were going abroad for the first time; the other 498,000 were rehires who had been employed abroad before. About half of those being deployed for the first time were classified as service workers, a third were production workers, and an eighth were professional and technical workers.
The leading destination for Filipinos leaving in 2007 was Saudi Arabia, which took almost 30 percent of Filipino migrants, followed by Hong Kong, 15 percent; UAE, 11 percent; and Italy and Singapore, seven percent each. Remittances were $13 billion in 2007, up slightly from 2006.
Some 8,000 nurses went abroad in 2007, including 6,100 to Saudi Arabia. The Philippines Health Secretary, Francisco Duque, estimated in January 2008 that 85 percent of the newly graduated nurses leave the country each year. Most go to the oil-exporting countries of the Middle East, but many want to go to Europe or North America, including some doctors and MBA graduates who are retraining as nurses in order to improve their chances of going abroad.
The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) has since 1982 promoted and regulated the deployment of Filipino workers abroad; since 1987, the POEA has regulated the activities of recruiters. Over 3,000 workers a day visit POEA offices, including regional centers in the three major parts of the country, La Union in Luzon in the north, Cebu in Visayas in the center, and Davao for the Mindanao region in the south.
Recruiters who place Filipinos in jobs abroad must obtain licenses from the POEA and limit their charges to one month's salary in the country of destination (except in countries that prohibit such charges). They must also ensure that migrants have been found medically fit by government clinics and had their skills were tested in government training centers. Contracts submitted to the POEA for approval must pay at least the minimum wage of the destination country (if it has one) and provide free transportation and food or appropriate payments.
The POEA deals with complaints from Filipinos about recruiters and foreign employers. Filipino recruiters are jointly liable with foreign employers for violations of the contracts that migrants have when they leave Manila.
In April 2008, the POEA warned migrants about overcharges for jobs in Taiwan. Most Filipino migrants earn $NT17,280 ($565) a month in Taiwan, which should limit placement fees to $565. However, migrants were reporting fees of over $3,000, which they paid by writing post-dated checks to recruiters or having extra fees deducted from their Taiwanese wages. In order to avoid high brokerage fees, the governments of Taiwan and the Philippines are trying to encourage employers and workers to bypass agents, but only 600 Filipino migrants were hired directly in 2007.
The POEA runs ongoing campaigns against illegal recruitment, which can include overcharging migrants, charging migrants for nonexistent foreign jobs, or changing wages and terms once the migrant is abroad. The POEA reported 316 cases of illegal recruitment activities in 2006, up from 250 in 2005. Between January and October 2007, POEA reported 132 recruiters illegally involved with 850 migrants. The most common violation appears to be taking money from potential migrants and then not placing them in foreign jobs. However, many such complaints are dropped when the recruiter finds the migrant a foreign job.
The POEA instituted a $400 minimum monthly wage for domestic helpers in 2007; these so-called "supermaids" receive training before their departure. One result was a sharp drop in the number of domestic helpers sent abroad in 2007, 39,700, down from 91,400 in 2006. It is clear that some Hong Kong households have switched to cheaper Indonesian maids, but it is not clear if some Filipina maids are leaving with contracts that falsely label them something else.
The Philippines has 85 million residents, and is projected to have 94 million by 2010.
The price of rice and many other staple foods has risen sharply, prompting protests. In March 2008, the government condemned rice traders for hoarding subsidized rice that they hope to sell later at higher prices. The Philippines used to be the major rice exporter in Asia, and is now the leading importer in the region, importing about 10 percent of its rice. Rice, the staple food of almost half the world's people, doubled in price between January 2007 and March 2008. Only seven percent of the world's rice is traded; far more of the world's wheat and corn are traded.
The Philippines sent 1.1 million workers abroad in 2007, the same as in 2006, meaning that an average of 3,000 Filipinos a day left for foreign jobs. They included 810,000 land-based migrants and 264,000 sea-based migrants. Recruiters say that Filipino migrant workers account for 30 percent of the air passengers entering and leaving the Philippines.
Filipinos are about 28 percent of those manning the world's ships. Most seamen work on eight- to 10-month contracts, earning at least $1,100 a month. About 20 percent each are deployed on cruise ships and bulk carrier ships, followed by 13 percent each on container ships and tankers; most carry crews of 21, seven workers for each of three shifts.
The government reports migrant outflow data in several ways. About 312,000 land-based migrants, 38 percent, were going abroad for the first time; the other 498,000 were rehires who had been employed abroad before. About half of those being deployed for the first time were classified as service workers, a third were production workers, and an eighth were professional and technical workers.
The leading destination for Filipinos leaving in 2007 was Saudi Arabia, which took almost 30 percent of Filipino migrants, followed by Hong Kong, 15 percent; UAE, 11 percent; and Italy and Singapore, seven percent each. Remittances were $13 billion in 2007, up slightly from 2006.
Some 8,000 nurses went abroad in 2007, including 6,100 to Saudi Arabia. The Philippines Health Secretary, Francisco Duque, estimated in January 2008 that 85 percent of the newly graduated nurses leave the country each year. Most go to the oil-exporting countries of the Middle East, but many want to go to Europe or North America, including some doctors and MBA graduates who are retraining as nurses in order to improve their chances of going abroad.
The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) has since 1982 promoted and regulated the deployment of Filipino workers abroad; since 1987, the POEA has regulated the activities of recruiters. Over 3,000 workers a day visit POEA offices, including regional centers in the three major parts of the country, La Union in Luzon in the north, Cebu in Visayas in the center, and Davao for the Mindanao region in the south.
Recruiters who place Filipinos in jobs abroad must obtain licenses from the POEA and limit their charges to one month's salary in the country of destination (except in countries that prohibit such charges). They must also ensure that migrants have been found medically fit by government clinics and had their skills were tested in government training centers. Contracts submitted to the POEA for approval must pay at least the minimum wage of the destination country (if it has one) and provide free transportation and food or appropriate payments.
The POEA deals with complaints from Filipinos about recruiters and foreign employers. Filipino recruiters are jointly liable with foreign employers for violations of the contracts that migrants have when they leave Manila.
In April 2008, the POEA warned migrants about overcharges for jobs in Taiwan. Most Filipino migrants earn $NT17,280 ($565) a month in Taiwan, which should limit placement fees to $565. However, migrants were reporting fees of over $3,000, which they paid by writing post-dated checks to recruiters or having extra fees deducted from their Taiwanese wages. In order to avoid high brokerage fees, the governments of Taiwan and the Philippines are trying to encourage employers and workers to bypass agents, but only 600 Filipino migrants were hired directly in 2007.
The POEA runs ongoing campaigns against illegal recruitment, which can include overcharging migrants, charging migrants for nonexistent foreign jobs, or changing wages and terms once the migrant is abroad. The POEA reported 316 cases of illegal recruitment activities in 2006, up from 250 in 2005. Between January and October 2007, POEA reported 132 recruiters illegally involved with 850 migrants. The most common violation appears to be taking money from potential migrants and then not placing them in foreign jobs. However, many such complaints are dropped when the recruiter finds the migrant a foreign job.
The POEA instituted a $400 minimum monthly wage for domestic helpers in 2007; these so-called "supermaids" receive training before their departure. One result was a sharp drop in the number of domestic helpers sent abroad in 2007, 39,700, down from 91,400 in 2006. It is clear that some Hong Kong households have switched to cheaper Indonesian maids, but it is not clear if some Filipina maids are leaving with contracts that falsely label them something else.
The Philippines has 85 million residents, and is projected to have 94 million by 2010.
The price of rice and many other staple foods has risen sharply, prompting protests. In March 2008, the government condemned rice traders for hoarding subsidized rice that they hope to sell later at higher prices. The Philippines used to be the major rice exporter in Asia, and is now the leading importer in the region, importing about 10 percent of its rice. Rice, the staple food of almost half the world's people, doubled in price between January 2007 and March 2008. Only seven percent of the world's rice is traded; far more of the world's wheat and corn are traded.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Stand with Tibet - Support the Dalai Lama
Avaaz.org - The World in Action: "After decades of repression, Tibetans are crying out to the world for change. China's leaders are right now making a crucial choice between escalating brutality or dialogue that could determine the future of Tibet, and China.
We can affect this historic choice -- China does care about its international reputation. But it will take an avalanche of global people power to get the government's attention. The Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, has called for restraint and dialogue: he needs the world's people to support him. Fill out the form below to sign the petition--and spread the word."
We can affect this historic choice -- China does care about its international reputation. But it will take an avalanche of global people power to get the government's attention. The Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, has called for restraint and dialogue: he needs the world's people to support him. Fill out the form below to sign the petition--and spread the word."
Monday, February 25, 2008
12-year wait for OFW wife - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos
12-year wait for OFW wife - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos: "The last time he saw his wife, Evan Jean Tupa, was the day after their wedding in Manila on June 25, 1996.
He was 28 years old then and she was 27.
She left for a job as a factory worker in Taiwan, as scheduled. For six months they kept in touch through letters and phone calls. By 1997, the husband said he heard nothing more from her. Andanar, a resident of barangay Apas, Cebu City asked the court to declare his wife “presumptively dead” so he could find happiness with someone else."
He was 28 years old then and she was 27.
She left for a job as a factory worker in Taiwan, as scheduled. For six months they kept in touch through letters and phone calls. By 1997, the husband said he heard nothing more from her. Andanar, a resident of barangay Apas, Cebu City asked the court to declare his wife “presumptively dead” so he could find happiness with someone else."
Thursday, January 17, 2008
PIA Homepage
PIA Homepage: "POEA to look into complaints of excessive fees
Iloilo City (9 January) -- Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) especially those bound for Taiwan who have been victimized by recruitment agencies charging excessive fees are urged to file complaints with the Philippine Overseas Labor Offices (POLOs) in Taiwan or with the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA).
Labor and Employment Secretary Arturo D. Brion said that POLOs in Taipei, Taichung and Kaoshiung in Taiwan have been directed to gather more complaints from victims to uncover agencies that charge excessive fees from Taiwan-bound OFWs.
This after the POLO in Taipei reported the proliferation of cases indicating that recruitment agencies illegally collected excessive placement fees from OFWs ranging from P50,000 to P190,000 each."
Iloilo City (9 January) -- Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) especially those bound for Taiwan who have been victimized by recruitment agencies charging excessive fees are urged to file complaints with the Philippine Overseas Labor Offices (POLOs) in Taiwan or with the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA).
Labor and Employment Secretary Arturo D. Brion said that POLOs in Taipei, Taichung and Kaoshiung in Taiwan have been directed to gather more complaints from victims to uncover agencies that charge excessive fees from Taiwan-bound OFWs.
This after the POLO in Taipei reported the proliferation of cases indicating that recruitment agencies illegally collected excessive placement fees from OFWs ranging from P50,000 to P190,000 each."
Monday, January 7, 2008
ABS-CBN Interactive
ABS-CBN Interactive: "foreign investments, along with billions in dollars of OFW remittances that come in every month, have helped strengthen the peso, which closed 2007 as one of the best performing currencies in Asia."
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