.gif)
By Daisy CL Mandap
 |
| Protest started outside the building where the Philippine Consulate is located |
Four protesters representing various Filipino
community organizations picketed the Philippine Consulate earlier Wednesday,
to hit out at the various government fees that were due to be collected
starting today.
The protesters who are part of an alliance called Rage
(Rise Against Government Exaction), called on the Philippine government to stop
compelling all overseas Filipino workers (OFW) to pay the various fees which,
if collected altogether, would result in workers paying more than 15% of their monthly
salary.
 |
| PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE |
“We are holding this protest because we want our
government to know that we are against the mandatory collection of fees,” said
Dolores Balladares-Pelaez of United Filipinos – Migrante Hong Kong.
“This is an additional burden on Filipino people. It
will not help us, especially during this time of the pandemic.”
Being protested are the mandatory fees to the national
health insurer PhilHealth, the government housing arm, Pag-IBIG Fund, a life
insurance that they are being compelled to take each time they sign a two-year
contract, as well as for the Social Security System.
 |
A poster they held aloft listed their demands as “1)
No to mandatory membership to PhilHealth, 2) No to expanded compulsory
insurance, 3) No to PhilHealth premium increase 4) Abolish the overseas
employment certificate (OEC), 5) No to state exaction, 6) provide free genuine
health care for all Filipinos.”
 |
| Their demands could not be missed |
Another poster bore the playful but meaningful message: “Hindi dapat
sapilitan ang Pag-IBIG” (Pag-IBIG – or love – should not be forced).
Instead of adding to the financial burden of OFWs, the
government should give more monetary assistance to them, said the group. They
urged that free health care should be given to OFWs and their families as they
have propped up the country’s economy for so long.
Most of the fees mentioned were to be collected from
the start of this month, although mandatory insurance has already been levied
against OFWs about to return to their workplace, after it was tied to the OEC
which they need to be able to depart the country.
 |
| BAN ON FLIGHTS FROM THE PHILIPPINES LIFTED ON APRIL 1. BOOK YOUR FLIGHTS NOW! PRESS FOR DETAILS |
The two-year premium is pegged at US$113, or about
Php6,000.
Officers at the Philippine Overseas Labor Office say OFWs who are applying for OEC could present proof of their employers' insurance coverage for them instead, so they could avoid being charged anew when they get to the Philippines.
This is despite the Department of Labor and Employment's directive early this year where it is clearly stipulated that the mandatory insurance could only be secured from a list of Philippines-based insurers accredited by the government.
Mandatory Pag-IBIG contribution has also been tied to
the OEC by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration effective today,
which means a departing worker will need to shell out an additional Php2,400
for every two-year contract.
 |
| Playful dig at the mandatory PAG-Ibig contribution |
But topping the list of the protested fees is for
PhilHealth contribution which for this year is pegged at 4% of each overseas
Filipino worker’s monthly salary.
For a foreign domestic worker on minimum wage earning
the equivalent of Php30,000 that would mean a levy of Php28,800 per two-year
contract.
SSS contributions, which amount to 5% of the worker’s
salary, could set back a FDW in Hong Kong at least Php36,000 every two years.
While the fee has long been made compulsory for
overseas Filipinos, the government agency has yet to tie up its collection to
OEC - but migrant leaders believe this could not be for long.
During the 15-minute picket outside the Consulate
office building, Dolores Balladares-Pelaez of United Filipinos-Migrante Hong
Kong announced that Consul General Raly Tejada had ignored their request to go
up and hand over their petition in person.
 |
| The protesters were finally allowed to stage a brief picket in the lobby of the Consulate |
This was even after they had taken pains to ensure that
only four people joined the picket, in compliance with Hong Kong’s strict
anti-pandemic restrictions.
But to their surprise, a junior staff member of the
assistance to nationals section told them that they were being given permission
to go up to the lift lobby outside the Consulate offices so they could make a
symbolic handing over of their petition there.
Also represented in the protest were Gabriela Hong
Kong, Cordillera Alliance and Filipino Migrant Workers’ Union.
 |
| PADALA NA! |
