Monday, January 26, 2009

Bailout plan for workers pushed - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos

Bailout plan for workers pushed - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos: "MANILA, Philippines—Labor groups and economic experts are pressing the Arroyo administration to bail out workers displaced by the global economic crisis by expanding the government’s cash subsidy programs.

The government should earmark part of the P330-billion stimulus package it is seeking to boost the economy to help jobless Filipino workers and spur consumer spending, the labor organizations and experts said."

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

GMANews.TV - OFW Microsite - Groups score gov't for inaction on plight of OFWs

GMANews.TV - OFW Microsite - Groups score gov't for inaction on plight of OFWs: "MANILA, Philippines - Members of Kilusang Mayo Uno and Migrante International on Thursday picketed the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to protest the government's alleged inaction on the plight of retrenched overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

QTV's 'Balitanghali' reported that the groups, together with some OFWs who lost their jobs in Taiwan, demanded that the government give back the alleged exorbitant fees that recruitment agencies charged them.

'We condemn the continued government inaction to our demands,' Crisitina de Borja, a retrenched worker, said. 'At the minimum we demand that the exorbitant placement fees recruitment agencies have charged will be given back to us. This is the law and we cannot understand why the government cannot enforce it.'"

Monday, January 12, 2009

2,500 OFWs lose Taiwan jobs - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos

2,500 OFWs lose Taiwan jobs - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos: "A total of 2,500 Filipinos were laid off by factories in Taiwan adjusting to lower global demand, according to records kept by the labor department's Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA)."

Monday, January 5, 2009

The Alliance for Human Rights Legislation for Immigrants and Migrants (AHRLIM)

The Alliance for Human Rights Legislation for Immigrants and Migrants (AHRLIM): "The Government of Taiwan says that it supports human rights, but its policies always ignore the rights of immigrants and migrants. Taiwan's migratory population did not just come, all of a sudden, out of nowhere. Everybody who lives on this island comes from a family of immigrants-the only difference with today's immigrants is a question of old and new. Yet today's Taiwanese society is unsure of what to think about the new migrants and immigrants, and some in the Government and in the news media are trying to use that uncertainty to create fear and deny these new immigrants and migrants their rights. Instead of educating society about the advantages of a multicultural, pluralist society, the newspapers and TV just make immigrants and migrants look like a big problem. They try to create the idea that the new immigrants and migrants are criminals and spies, the main source of today's social ills. As the media stirs up fear in Taiwanese society, the Government promotes policies that actively prevent new migrants and immigrants from enjoying the same rights and benefits allowed to other residents of Taiwan even as they work and make a positive contribution to Taiwanese society."

50,000 OFWs to lose jobs this year, says govt | ABS-CBN News Online Beta

50,000 OFWs to lose jobs this year, says govt | ABS-CBN News Online Beta: "he Department of Labor and Employment on Friday predicted that around 50,000 overseas Filipino workers could lose their jobs this year as a result of the global economic slowdown.

'As of today, there are probably 5,000 OFWs who have already lost their jobs in Taiwan, Dubai and South Korea. Our expectation is that it would reach 50,000 this year,' Labor Secretary Marianito Roque told radio dzMM.

Roque assured affected OFWs that they could find work once they return to the Philippines. He added that others could opt to be trained for other job skills.

The labor chief said deployment of Filipino workers for overseas work continues despite the crisis.

“We are deploying more or less 3,000 workers every day. We increased OFW deployment by 24 percent in 2008, which is close 1.3 million workers,” he said.

Total deployment from January to October stood at 1.115 million, 25.5 percent higher than the number of Filipinos who left the country in the same period in 2007, data from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration showed."