HK OFWs hold angry protest over Ph flood fund mess

 

Anger is etched on face of protest leader Baneng Mendez

Filipino domestic workers held an indignation rally outside the Philippine Consulate offices in Admiralty on Sunday morning to protest the widening corruption scandal in the Philippines over billions of pesos lost in anomalous flood control projects that date back to 2016.

The move came in the wake of similar protest actions in Manila launched as congressional inquiries uncovered a massive collusion between private contractors and government officials in pilfering money meant to stop the recurrent flooding across the country.

“Nakakagalit!” (Sickening) was the first word uttered by one of the protest organizers, Baneng Mendez of Bayan Muna Hong Kong and Macau, in expressing her anger over the years of corruption that is being uncovered only now.

PINDUTIN DITO

“Kung hindi pa tayo nagagalit sa lumalalang korapsyon sa Pilipinas, hindi tayo tunay na Pilipino,” an enraged Mendez said. (If we are still not angry over the widening corruption in the country, we are not true Filipinos).

She decried that migrant workers are given a hard time getting financial help from the government when the culprits steal P2 million each day from the public coffers.

Protest banners call for the jailing and other retribution for the culprits

Another speaker, Dolores Balladares of United Filipinos –Migrante Hong Kong said politicians in the country are using their position to amass wealth at the expense of the people they are meant to serve.

The 50-odd protesters representing various Filipino migrant groups that were given police clearance to hold the 30-minute rally held banners blaming widespread corruption for the worsening floods that have plagued the country for years, and called for retribution.

They said money that could have been spent to improve the people’s lives has been stolen by a few people who have been living in luxury, including a contractor-couple who had shamelessly paraded their fleet of about 40 luxury cars during interviews on social media.

Basahin ang detalye!

They called on those responsible for the plunder to be held to account, including putting them behind bars immediately.

Not surprisingly, there was no call for President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. to step down, as that would mean Vice President Sara Duterte, who could soon face an impeachment trial over her alleged misuse of hundreds of millions in “confidential funds," taking over the top post.

The protest ended with Vice Consul Gino Soriano of the Consulate accepting a copy of the demand letter from the protesters addressed to President Marcos.

Labor attaché linked to flood control mess recalled

 

Labatt Maglanque has also been put in the immigraton lookout list

Department of Migrant Workers Secretary Hans J. Cacdac has ordered the recall of the country’s labor attaché in Los Angeles, Macy Monique Maglanque, after she was tagged by Senator Panfilo Lacson to a company linked to flood-control anomalies.

Cacdac said in a statement on Friday that the recall will give Labatt Maglanque an opportunity to personally respond to the questions about her involvement in the questionable deals.

 “Today, we have issued a recall order for Labor Attaché Maglanque so that she can return home and personally face the investigation. No penalty has been imposed yet, but it is important that she herself responds to the questions—not only from the DMW but also from any other investigations that may be necessary,” said Secretary Hans Cacdac.

PINDUTIN DITO

He said the recall is a routine procedure that is in line with the DMW’s commitment to due process.

“She will only be facing the investigation. This is part of our commitment to integrity and accountability in public service,” Cacdac added.

Labatt Maglanque is the daughter of Mayor Rene Maglanque of Candaba, Pampanga and former president of Globalcrete Builders, a construction company that secured Php2.195 billion worth of flood control projects from 2018 to 2024 in Bulacan alone, said Lacson.

Basahin ang detalye!

Together with the daughters of Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan and Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, the younger Maglanque is said to have formed MBB Global Properties Corp, which now owns Wyndham Garden Hotel in Clark, Pampanga.

Lacson said the initials MBB stand for Maglanque, Bonoan and Bernardo, signifying an unholy alliance between the powerful contractor and the two DPWH officials.

The MBB company is said to stand for the mayor and the two top DPWH officials

Labatt Maglanque is said to be the president of the MBB group, while Sunshine M. Bernardo, the daughter of the former USec, is corporate secretary; and Fatima Bonoan dela Cruz is treasurer.

Following Lacson’s expose, new DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon has requested that Bonoan and the three executives of the MBB Group be put on the immigration lookout bulletin

Labatt Maglanque’s Facebook profile indicates she became a labor attaché in 2017, and was initially posted in Singapore before being moved to LA four years later.

She holds a bachelor of science degree in management of financial institutions from De La Salle University, and a master in business administration from the University of London.

Flood control probe widens; million-people protest set

 

EDSA Shrine rally (GMA News photo)

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has added a third front in the investigation of failed and ghost flood control projects, while the Department of Public Works and Highways has begun filing criminal complaints against the first batch of erring employees.

Amid these government moves, a million-people rally is being planned at the Luneta on Sept. 21 to express outrage for the “large-scale thievery”, capping off a series of protests in streets and schools. 

The latest of these were Friday’s protest by students at the University of the Philippines in Diliman and Saturday's march from the EDSA Shrine to the People Power Monument in Quezon City.

PINDUTIN DITO

“Let us call out and condemn the politicians and contractors who wear different colors but worship the color of money, who steal our people’s money,” declared a statement by the convenors, which included the Taumbayan Ayaw sa Magnanakaw at Abusado Network Alliance (TAMA NA) and the Panatang Luntian Coalition.

Another protest, dubbed the “Trillion Peso March,” led by the Clergy for Good Governance, will take place at the People Power Monument on EDSA the same day.

Both events were timed for the 53rd anniversary of the declaration of martial law by the president’s father, Ferdinand Sr., in 1972.

It is not yet certain when the three-member Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), created by Marcos under Executive Order No. 94, will begin to “hear, investigate, receive, gather, and evaluate evidence, intelligence reports, and information, against all government officials and employees, and any other individual, involved in anomalies, irregularities, and misuse of fSunds in the planning, financing, and implementation of government flood control and other infrastructure projects nationwide.”

Basahin ang detalye!

Malacañang has named former DPWH Secretary Rogelio “Babes” Singson, who cleaned the agency during the term of President Benigno Aquino Jr., and SGV and Co. country managing partner Rossana Fajardo, as the first two of ICI’s three members. Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong will act as special adviser and investigator. 

The chairperson is expected to be appointed next week.

“The President has appointed individuals of proven competence, integrity, and deep familiarity with infrastructure, finance, and institutional reform,” presidential spokesperson Claire Castro said.

“As the President has repeatedly said: no one will be spared. Even relatives, friends, or allies — there will be no sacred cows [in the ICI investigation],” Castro said.

Even if ICI starts its investigation, the ongoing inquiries by the Senate and the House of Representatives will continue, according to Sen. Panfilo Lacson, chairman of the Senate Blue ribbon Committee.

“The Senate Blue Ribbon probe and the work of the independent commission are complementary. They won’t compete with each other,” he said.

Lacson said the first hearing next Thursday in which he will be chairman, will not only generate evidence that could be used by the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), but also help in crafting anti-corruption laws.

He said he found evidence that could confirm revelations in Congress last week that Senator Jinggoy Estrada received a 30 per cent commission from P355 million paid for flood control projects that were never built. 

Estrada and Joel Villanueva, who was alleged to have gotten a 30 per ent cut of $600 million in ghost projects, have denied the allegations.

For his part, Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon will aim for DPWH personnel responsible for anomalous flood control projects to return the money they stole. “It is not enough to go to jail. It is not enough to be held accountable. We need to return the people’s money,” he said.

Among the measures he would explore is to freeze and forfeit in favor of the government the assets of persons named in cases that result from these projects, with the help of the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC).

Last Thursday, the DPWH filed the first batch of graft charges against 20 government engineers and employees from Bulacan, and four private contractors and their owners, including the Discaya couple. He said the DPWH would file a second batch next week against those involved in Oriental Mindoro projects.

 

Pia Wurtzbach recalls life as OFW during HK visit

 

As OWWA's ambassador, Pia helps promote health and wellness among OFWs

“Confidently beautiful with a heart” is a mindset that Pia Wurtzbach-Jauncey has embraced since she was crowned Miss Universe in 2015, and is what she now espouses as an advocate of health and wellness for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

Wurtzbach was in Hong Kong last Sunday, Sept. 7, as part of her volunteer work as an ambassador for the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA). 

According to OWWA administrator PY Caunan, the beauty queen does not get paid for what she does for OFWs, and even pays for her own airfare when they go abroad together.

Coinciding with their visit was a health and wellness event at the OFW Global Centre, and the launch of virtual hub of LoveYourself, an advocacy group for HIV prevention and mental health for Filipinos, particularly OFWs.

PINDUTIN DITO

Through the online hub, OFWs can ask questions about sexual and mental health issues, which Wurtzbach said is now particularly relevant because of a sudden spike in the number of Filipino migrants getting infected with HIV.

Latest government figures show that HIV infections jumped 500% in the first three months of this year, compared to the same period last year, prompting the Department of Health to recommend a declaration of national public health emergency.

An OFW fan took the chance to ask Pia for an autograph

Wurtzbach was accompanied in her visit by Love Yourself founder and executive director Ronivin “Vinn” G. Pagtakhan, who evoked a lot of laughter from the audience with his quips on how OFWs can practice self-love, including indulging in sexual pleasures.

“Importante na alam ninyong pasayahin ang sarili ninyo,” he said, to the delight of the mainly female audience. (It’s important that you know how to pleasure yourselves).

Pagtakhan told the OFWs HIV is no longer the dreaded disease it used to be, as there are now at least two cases of patients who have been declared virus-free after treatment. But prevention is still the key to preventing its spread.

Basahin ang detalye!

Wurtzbach took the chance to relate her experiences as an OFW herself. She said her mother worked as a caregiver in the United Kingdom for 10 years. When her mother got married to a foreigner, Wurtzbach who was then still a minor and a struggling actress, was forced to follow her.

That was when she experienced “yung hirap, yung pagod” (the hardship and physically tiring life) of a Filipino migrant worker.

She said she waited on tables at a hotel and did odd jobs, like working as receptionist in a realty company and distributing flyers. It was while working at the hotel that she decided to enroll in a culinary course.

All the while, she said she was longing to go back home, so that when she had saved up enough, she decided to fly back to Manila, and began joining beauty contests. The rest, as they now say, is history.

Laundry factory raid nets 8 suspected illegal workers, employer

 

Those arrested in the laundry raid are led away

A total of nine people were arrested in an anti-illegal work operation by the Immigration Department that targeted a laundry factory, according to a statement released by the government today.

Those arrested included eight suspected illegal workers and the person who hired them.

Those reportedly found working illegally at the laundry comprised three men and five women aged 29 to 48. The suspected employer is a woman aged 52.

The raid was one of several conducted by immigration officers from Sept 9 to 11.

Apart from the laundry factory, operatives from Immigration and the HK Police force also raided 102 target locations in Hung Hom, Kowloon City and Western districts.

In these separate raids, two suspected illegal workers, both men aged 48 and 52, were arrested. A 49-year-old woman was also detained after she was found to have overstayed her visa.

According to the statement, an investigation into the suspected employers of the illegal workers is ongoing, and the possibility of further arrests is likely.

Immigration again warned that working illegally, whether paid or unpaid, is an offence under Hong Kong law.

The prohibition applies to tourists and recognizance paper holders who are not allowed to work  without permission from the Immigration director. Foreign domestic workers are also prohibited from working outside the home of their contract employers.

Those found violating their visa conditions by engaging in illegal work could be jailed for up to two years and fined a maximum of $50,000.

Overstayers, illegal immigrants or those subject of a removal or deportation order could be jailed for a maximum of three years and fined $50,000.

In addition, the Chief Executive may issue a deportation order against such illegal workers. Under Hong Kong laws, deportation could be ordered against an immigrant who has been found guilty of an offence punishable by imprisonment for not less than two years.

Employers of illegal workers face the more severe penalty of a maximum fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for up to 10 years. The director, manager or any officer of the company concerned may also bear criminal liability.

Under sentencing guidelines issued by the High Court, the employer of an illegal worker should be given an immediate custodial sentence.

 

Bail hearing for Pinoy in $10B fake bank docs case reset

 

HSBC branch where incident was reported (Google Maps photo)  

An elderly Filipino facing a charge of “using a false instrument” after allegedly presenting fake documents purporting to show he had US$10 billion in deposits at the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corp., was told he could apply for free lawyer’s services after he appeared unrepresented at the Eastern Court on Thursday, Sept. 11.

Acting Principal Magistrate David Cheung told Ramon Revillosa Jr., 69, to go to the Duty Lawyers Service at the court building after he failed to respond to a question of whether he wished to make a bail application. The elderly defendant has been in jail since his arrest last Feb. 10.

When Revillosa accepted the offer to avail of the services of a free counsel, the magistrate assumed that the defendant had reserved the right to a bail review and set a hearing on Sept. 19. By then, his  new lawyer could make a new application for bail on his behalf, and cite the reasons why the court should allow him temporary liberty.

Basahin ang detalye!

Magistrate Cheung also adjourned the case to Nov. 6, as requested by the prosecutor, for further investigation.

He earlier noted that Revillosa was represented in previous hearings by a private lawyer, apparently hired by the Philippine Consulate..

A routine auditing procedure, however, resulted in payments to the solicitor firm beng suspended by the Consulate, according to a source. Under Hong Kong law, legal services can be cut off if bills are not paid.

Revillosa is alleged to have presented a bank capability letter, guarantee letter and a certificate of balance, all purporting to have a value of US$10 billion and issued by HSBC, which he “knew, or believed to be, false”.

Using a false instrument is punishable under section 73 of the Crimes Ordinance with up to 14 years in jail.

He was the only one charged, although he was arrested with a Filipina woman lawyer, a Malaysian man, a Taiwanese man and a woman who used a Hong Kong and Macau Travel Permit to enter Hong Kong.

Last June 28, the same magistrate ordered psychiatric tests to be conducted on him in Siu Lam Hospital in Tuen Mun, which specializes in psychiatric care, to find out if he was fit to plead or needed to be hospitalized.

Filipina DH injured after failed suicide attempt

 

The helper climbed down from the 8th floor of this building 
(Photo by Czhiuom Grogdme, Wikimedia Commons)

A Filipina domestic worker said to be grappling with distress due to her involvement in a theft case has been taken to Queen Mary Hospital with bruises to her limbs,  after apparently trying to jump off a building in Sai Ying Pun.  

Police received a report at about 6:45 am today about a woman being seen climbing out of the 8^th floor of Wing Cheung Court on Bonham Road and descending to the fourth floor. 

Residents immediately called for help when she was seen standing precariously on an exterior wall, suspecting suicide. 

Basahin ang detalye!

Another resident then called to say the woman had fallen to the platform on the first floor. 

However, when paramedics arrived at the scene, the woman could no longer be found within the building premises. 

She was later found near the junction of High Street and Western Street, having apparently  climbed down to the ground floor after falling almost unscathed to the first-floor podium. 

She was taken to hospital with abrasions to her arms and legs.

An officer at the Migrant Workers Office (MWO) has confirmed visiting the Filipina at the hospital at the instruction of Officer-in-Charge Tony Villafuerte. They assured her that she would be provided with “appropriate services” when she gets discharged.

The Filipina reportedly told the MWO officers that she had thought of jumping off the building because there were so many things on her mind.

An initial investigation by the police found that the worker had been struggling with emotional issues and recently felt even more distressed after being linked to a theft case.

They have categorized the case as involving a “mentally disturbed person”.

(Filipinos who are grappling with emotional problems or stress may call the hotline of the MWO at 6345 9324 or the Assistance to Nationals Section of the Philippine Consulate at 9155 4023; or the Mission for Migrant Workers at 9529 2326)

Pinay avoids jail in $7k theft case

 

Google Map shows where theft was committed

A Filipina domestic helper has avoided getting jailed after pleading guilty to theft of $7,158 in cash and household item from her employer.

Instead, J. Sanchez, 44 years old, received a sentence of two months in jail, suspended for 33 months.

With the sentence, handed down by Magistrate Andrew Mok on Tuesday (Sept. 9) at Shatin Court, Sanchez need not spend a day in court if she does not commit any criminal offense in the next 33 months.

Basahin ang detalye!

She was charged with violating section 9 of the theft Ordinance for having stolen $6,268 in cash, 15 red packet envelopes, one red pouch, one Alexandre Zouari hair clip, one Yuen Bao ornament, and two plastic coins owned by Wu Yuen Ting.

The theft was committed between Feb. 2 and May 31 this year in her employer’s home at  Dragon’s Range in Kau To Shan.

Mysterious images show up on Filipina driver’s car monitor

 

Mercy's dashboard shows 3 people ahead though there is nobody else around 

(Contributed by Ramon Dizon, Jr.)

Strange things have happened since the employer of Filipina driver Mercy Permales bought a new family car.

Mysterious, ghost-like images that are not visible to the naked eye have begun to show up on the sensor monitor of the Maxus-Mifa7 MPV (multi purpose vehicle) that Mercy now drives.

She started seeing them at about 3am in November last year, as she was preparing to pick up her employer from the airport. Given the time, there were no other people around their Stubbs Road carpark and everything was quiet, until the car’s sensor emitted a sound after she turned on the engine.

Mercy got the shock of her life when she saw the images of four people appear on the car’s monitor. She immediately turned off the engine, then restarted it, hoping the monitor would clear up, but the images were still there.

Basahin ang detalye!

Seeing that the strange vision would not disappear on her third try, Mercy decided to get off and check her surroundings. She confirmed nobody was around, but the images that were slightly moving remained on the monitor.

Afterwards, she would see the “people” popping up on the car monitor whenever she was leaving their estate’s carpark. Sometimes there would be three, other times, two; and at other times, just one.

The weirdest was the image of a child on a bicycle, a helmet covering his face, that suddenly appeared on the monitor.

By this time, Mercy had gotten used to seeing the images on her car’s monitor that she started recording the incidents on video and posting them on her Facebook page ( here is one of her reels: https://www.facebook.com/reel/1209329267435472) to the amusement – and oftentimes, horror – of her social media friends.

Mercy is  no longer spooked by 'haunted' car

What makes the experience even weirder for Mercy is that it happens not just in the evening or early morning, but also in broad daylight. The images would also appear in different parts of the ground-level carpark even if there are no other people around. 

One of her neighbors said someone who lived in the building had committed suicide, but Mercy could not independently confirm this. Another who never saw the strange sightings told her, nevertheless, that she often hears an unseen baby crying in the same location.

She has consulted with friends in the same building who drive the same car make, but they all told her that the eerie phenomenon she has experienced has never happened to them.

“Pinagtatawanan nga nila ako,” Mercy said. (They just laugh at me).

At the advice of a friend, Mercy had the car’s software updated last month, but the images still show up. 

The first time Mercy saw the strange figures there were 4 of them

Like most new electric vehicles, the Maxus-Mifa7 is equipped with the Advanced Driver Assistance System or ADAS, which is made up of cameras, sensor, processing unit, alarms and monitor.

The images caught by the system’s camera undergo a process that results in a bird’s eye-view of the space ahead showing up on the monitor. When the sensors detect the object or objects they emit an alarm to alert the driver.

However, at the very least, there should be an actual object ahead for the alarm to be triggered.

Another Filipino driver who lives in Belleview Drive, Repulse Bay, said he has also driven a Mifa7, and confirmed that he would sometimes see images that are on “standby” on the monitor screen. These would move when actual people pass by. But he has never experienced what Mercy keeps seeing on her car’s monitor.

With the passing of time, Mercy, a seasoned taekwondo practitioner, has come to take the experience in stride, attributing it merely to the car’s sensor that is so sensitive it can detect even “non-entities.” 

But to be safe, she has taken to paying respects to the images that keep popping up on the monitor.

She would say, “Excuse me, makikiraan po,” (Excuse me, please, let me pass) before driving away.

 

DMW to set up Migrant Workers Office in Cambodia

President Marcos met with some 500 Filipinos in Phnom Penh

The Department of Migrant Workers will soon set up a Migrant Workers Office in Cambodia, in line with a directive from President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., issued during his meeting with about 500 members of the Filipino community in Phnom Penh last Sunday, Sept. 7.

The new MWO will serve the estimated 10,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Cambodia, where many fall prey to syndicates operating scam hubs.

During the President’s visit, Philippine Ambassador to Cambodia Flerida Ann Mayo reported that cases of Filipinos being lured to the scam hubs there have more than doubled this year. Last month alone, at least 24 Filipino victims were rescued from the syndicates.

Basahin ang detalye!

DMW Secretary Hans J. Cacdac, who was among a number of Cabinet ministers who accompanied the president during the visit, said the new MWO will be immediately set up in coordination with Foreign Affairs Secretary Theresa Lazaro and Ambassador Mayo.

The MWO will provide legal aid, welfare assistance, reintegration programs and skills training for OFWs and complement the Philippine Embassy’s work in addressing the concerns of all Filipinos in the country.

Filipinos in Cambodia give warm welcome to their president

During his visit, President Marcos gave recognition to the vital role that Filipinos play in strengthening economic and diplomatic ties between the Philippines and Cambodia, particularly through their contributions in the education and medical sectors, businesses, and infrastructure projects.

On his return to Manila, he reported securing five business deals and three government-to-government agreements with Phnom Penh.

He met with both the Acting Head of State and Senate President Hun Sen and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet on advancing the two countries’ bilateral relations.

Those who accompanied him on his visit apart from Cacdac were SFA Lazaro, Trade Secretary Ma Cristina Roque, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Laurel, Jr., Commission on Higher Education Chair Shirley Agrupis, and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos.

Currently, the DMW has 42 MWOs worldwide, and is working to establish more in countries with significant Filipino migrant populations.

New app launched to check on OFWs

 

The app may be downloaded by clicking on any of the 2 QR codes above

The Department of Migrant Workers has launched a new mobile application that will help ensure the safety and welfare of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) wherever they may be.

The “Kumusta Kabayan” app can be downloaded on mobile phones so OFWs may easily get help in cases of emergency. They can also click on the QR codes in the poster above.

To get into the system, they will have to register by providing their names, birth date, address and other personal details, and upload a copy of their passport, plus a selfie.

Basahin ang detalye!

A news release issued by DMW on Monday said the digital welfare monitoring system has been put in place in response to a directive from President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr to enhance the protection of OFWs.

DMW Secretary Hans J. Cacdac said the app was developed with help from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration so they could jointly monitor the condition of  OFWs, the country’s modern-day heroes.

Cacdac said the DMW will not just wait for OFWs to reach out to them, as they will take the initiative of calling them up to check on their condition.

“Tayo mismo ang direktang tatawag sa kanila upang mangumusta, at siguraduhin ang agarang tulong sa kanilang pangangailangan,” he said. (We will call them ourselves to say hello and ensure they get immediate help for whatever they need).

The Kumusta Kabayan App is connected to the DMW-OWWA electronic system and data base for OFW registration and membership, case management and welfare reporting.

Among its features is a survey form that OFWs can fill up to update the Department on their current situation with their employers, the quality of their working and living conditions, and whether they are being paid on time.

Also shown in the app is the 1348 hotline of DMW/OWWA, which they can call anytime for any emergency. The other numbers listed are those for the DMW offices across the country.

OFWs may also use the app to call the DMW directly if they need urgent help from the Aksyon Fund, including for repatriation, legal, financial, medical or reintegration assistance.

 

2 theft cases activate Pinoy’s suspended sentence

 

The latest theft was committed in a 759 store inside this mall (Google Maps photo)

A jobless Filipino failed to get the usual one-third discount on his sentence today after he pleaded guilty at Eastern Court to two counts of shoplifting, because he committed the offenses while still under a suspended sentence.

Jeremias Sampher, 59 years old and a former waiter and transportation worker, admitted theft in the new cases, in violation of section 9 of the Theft Ordinance, and was sentenced to 14 days imprisonment for each case.

His conviction activated a suspended sentence of 14 days for an earlier theft charge.

Basahin ang detalye!

Instead of the usual discount of 14 days for the 42-day sentence, Acting Principal Magistrate David Cheung gave him seven days instead, for a final sentence of 35 days.

Sampher admitted stealing eight packs of chocolate from the Best Mart 360 store at the Supreme Building on King’s Road, North Point, last Feb. 21.

The second theft charge arose after he stole one pack of tissues, three packs of cheese and one bottle of juice last June 22 at the 759 Store on Farm Road, Kowloon City.

Details of the original theft, for which he was given a suspended sentence, were not made available.

 

OWWA chief decries agency’s Php3-b budget

 

Administrator Caunan speaks at 'Alagang OWWA' project launch

Administrator Patricia Yvonne “PY” Caunan has expressed dismay at the Php3 billion budget allocation that the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration gets from the government each year, especially amid news of anomalous flood control projects costing taxpayers billions of pesos.

“Ayaw ko na ngang manood ng TV ngayon, kasi sumasakit ang loob ko,” said Caunan during a news conference she held at the OFW (Overseas Filipino Workers) Global Center in Admiralty yesterday.  (I don’t even watch TV anymore now, because it makes me feel  bad).

She said it pained her to hear about so-called “ghost projects” some of which cost more than the entire annual budget of OWWA.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

But while aggrieved over the comparatively small budget allotted to OWWA, Caunan, who has just marked her 100^th day in office, remains dead-set on improving welfare and health services for OFWs.

As part of this initiative, the first Alagang OWWA Center will be set up in Metro Manila within the month. The center will provide free diagnostic and laboratory examination, eye and dental check-ups and HIV testing, in partnership with the Yakap program of the Department of Health.

Beside this will be a “botika” or pharmacy that will dispense medicines, again for free, to OFWs in need, especially those who have returned home and do not have the means to provide for their medical needs.

Basahin ang detalye!

Caunan said these undertakings all fall within her mandate to strengthen OWWA so it can better provide for the needs of OFWs.

“With a stronger OWWA we want to empower OFWs, we want to take care of OFWs. Yan ang alagang OWWA,” said Caunan.

But to be able to do this, she said she would need additional help from the government, particularly in allowing OWWA to hire more staff.

Admin Caunan with OWWA Deputy Admin Rosalia Catapang at press con

Right now, Caunan said OWWA only has 400 plantilla positions, compared with the newly created Department of Migrant Workers, which has 1,500 posts. The lack of manpower has resulted in the agency’s welfare officers and staff to work for extended hours, she said.

“The (OWWA) Board has already given approval for us to request an additional 350 plus plantilla positions, mostly for overseas, Caunan disclosed.

That request is now before lawmakers, along with a plea for more money to bolster the agency’s services. After all, she said OFW remittances account for nearly 10% of the country’s gross domestic product, or GDP.

Apart from increasing its manpower, OWWA has also embarked on a review of all its programs, to see which needs to be improved so services are delivered faster and more efficiently.

Caunan is also keen on digitalization, particularly in partnering with digital wallets GCash and Pay Maya, so OFWs who need to pay for fees like membership could easily do so without having to go to any of its offices.

But to further expand benefits to members like scholarship for their children and repatriation and burial services, she said it is also important to get more OFWs to activate their membership.

Caunan said that since the processing of work contracts for “balik manggagawa” or returning OFWs was delinked from payment for OWWA membership, the number of those with “active” membership has declined considerably.

“What does it mean? Seventy percent of the almost two million deployment each year, or 1.4 million OFWs, do not pay for OWWA membership,” she said.

She acknowledged that the situation in Hong Kong is different, as the more than 220,000 Filipino migrant workers who are here remain active members because they can only have their contracts verified after paying for OWWA membership – thanks to a supportive labor attaché.  

But while OWWA does not want to compel all OFWs to pay for membership, Caunan said it is to their advantage that they remain active members so they have better protection while working abroad.

She also gave categorical assurance that the USD25 membership fee that has been in place since OWWA was set up 48 years ago will remain unchanged, even while benefits may increase following a review.

To make membership more appealing, OWWA has recently partnered with 27 companies in Hong Kong that agreed to give discounts to OFWs who could present their E-cards, which also serve as proof of their active membership.

The benefits range from cash discounts for sending door-to-door boxes to the Philippines to lower remittance fees, and even lower down payments when buying a house from two of the country’s biggest developers.

This is just the start of providing more benefits to members, said Caunan. Come September 15, she said OWWA will launch more benefits for members in other parts of the world.

To detractors who persist in criticizing OWWA for its efforts to continuously upgrade its services to OFW members, Caunan said those who are not interested in the benefits may just ignore them.

“Dagdag benepisyo lang yan, kung ayaw ninyo ng discount, wag nyong gamitin ang E-card ninyo,” she said simply. (Those are just additional benefits. If you are not interested in the discounts, just don’t use your E-cards).

She also deflected criticism she may follow in the profligate spending of her predecessor Arnell Ignacio, who was sacked for purchasing a P2.4 billion piece of land without approval from OWWA's Board of Trustees.

Her plan to set up an Alagang OWWA Center in the capital, and eventually, at various regions in the country, will not involve buying or building any new structure, Caunan emphasized.

"I don't plan to build anything for this. I plan to use existing facilities," she said.

And while she does not see anything wrong with providing unlimited coffee or other refreshments at the OFW lounges or centers, she said she wants OWWA facilities to be more service-oriented, in keeping with her "Alagang OWWA" advocacy.