Showing posts with label ofw. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ofw. Show all posts

Roxas presses more teeth in OFW protection

Liberal President Senator Mar Roxas called for stronger government protection for the estimated 10 million Filipinos working abroad, especially against abuse by their employers or host countries.

At the same time, Roxas vowed to press for reforms in government policy involving the deployment of skilled and non-skilled workers to other countries as he noted the growing number of Filipinos overseas and the rising number of OFW-related incidents.
"Naniniwala akong ang pinakamahalaga nating maibibigay sa mga OFW natin ay seguridad. Kailangang bigyan natin ang mga OFW ng sapat na suporta at proteksyon para hindi sila abusuhin kapag nasa abroad na sila (I believe that the best thing we can give to our OFW is security for them. We need to give them all the support and protection so they will be spared abuse when they are abroad)," he said.

The Visayan senator said the government must also reduce the financial burden of Filipino overseas workers by removing the 0.15% Documentary Stamps Tax (DST) on money remittances to the country. It is a "significant financial burden to (OFWs) considering that the country is already experiencing unprecedented highs in food and oil prices," he said.

At the same time, Roxas pushed for the professionalization of the Foreign Service system, which he said would ensure that only the most talented and most qualified are recruited by the government to ensure that our OFWs will get quality assistance from personnel and officers of the Department of Foreign Affairs here and abroad.

He also pressed Malacañang to release the P50 million for the OFW Social Reintegration program that President Arroyo has yet to release to the Department of Labor and Employment. The program provides "balikbayan" OFWs with sufficient knowledge of how to use their savings as well as investment opportunities and other forms of reintegration assistance.

Roxas said the government must ensure that OFWs have access to communication wherever they are to so they can easily call Philippine offices in their areas in cases of employer problems and that free legal services for those facing legal problems are readily available.

He also said pre-departure orientation and preparation seminars should likewise be given to departing OFWs to brief them of their rights and on what they should and could do should they encounter difficulties in their jobs.

But all these reforms, he stressed, could only take place once an activist government – one that cares for and listen to its people – takes over from the current administration, which has consistently shown insensitivity to the plight of its workers abroad.

Thursday, August 20, 2009 | posted in , , , | 0 comments [ More ]

Senator Roxas to POEA: Dig deeper into how Legacy schemes affected OFW trust fund

Liberal President Senator Mar Roxas today urged the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) to dig deeper into how Legacy's double your money scheme put at risk the stability of the trust fund of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
"Walang patawad itong si Celso. Pati ang ating mga overseas workers ay niloko din niya (Celso de los Angeles would not even spare OFWs!)," lamented the chairman of the Senate trade and commerce committee, which is looking into the Legacy fund mess.

"Kailangang masiguro natin na may kakayahan ang mga recruitment agencies na nagpadala sa mga OFW sa abroad sakaling magkaroon sila ng problema sa kanilang mga trabaho (We have to make sure that these recruitment agencies can address the problems of these OFWs, should any arise)," he added.
The Ilonggo senator noted testimonies during the last committee hearing revealing that at least 144 recruitment agencies entrusted their escrow deposits at the Asia Trust bank, which in turn had inked an internal agreement with De los Angeles' Bank of Paranaque to double the amount of deposits.

POEA Dir. Melchor Dizon had told senators the agency requires all recruitment agencies to put up a P1 million escrow deposit in a bank, in this case the Asia Trust, to secure claims of workers in case the workers encounter problems or difficulties with their foreign employers. He said they have discovered that escrow deposits of Asia Trust's 144 agencies were all transferred to the Bank of Paranaque for a 20% per annum interest, with the authorization of the recruitment agencies.

The time deposits with Bank of Parañaque were secured by government securities, but Dizon said the securities have turned out to be insufficient, thus now forcing recruitment agencies to cough up additional money to complete their respective escrow funds.
"Sa huli, ang biktima dito ay ang mga OFWs (The OFWs are the victims here in the end)," he stressed.
He said the POEA, with the assistance of the Department of Justice, should determine if the recruitment agencies could be held liable for the insolvent state of the OFWs' trust fund.
"Kailangan nating malaman kung may kasalanan din dito ang mga recruitment agencies. Nakakolekta na sila ng 20% na interes sa kanilang mga deposito (We need to know if recruitment agencies are also at fault. After all, they already collected the 20% interest on their deposits)," he said.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009 | posted in , , , , , | 0 comments [ More ]

Overseas Filipino voters can now register to vote for the 2010 Philippine elections

To all our Overseas Filipino voters all around the world, you can now register to vote for the May 10, 2010 general elections. The registration period starts today, February 1 and will end this August 31, 2009.

All citizens of the Philippines abroad not otherwise disqualified by law, at least eighteen (18) years of age on the day of the election and who wish to vote for President, Vice-President, Senators and Party List Representative for purposes of the May 10, 2010 National Election must file applications for registration/certification as overseas absentee voters from February 01, 2009 to August 31, 2009. The voting period will be from April 10, 2010 until 3:00pm Philippine time of May 10, 2010.

The Overseas Absentee Voting (OAV) registration is necessary for overseas Filipinos who are first-time overseas voters, have changed country or state of residence since the last Philippine elections, or did not vote in the last two national elections.

Parties who are not eligible are those who have lost or renounced their Filipino citizenship or have been declared excluded by Philippine courts for the offenses of rebellion, insurrection, or violation of the Philippine firearms law.

The overseas voter must register at the Philippine Embassy where he will vote in May 2010.

Registration must be done in person, because the voter’s biometric data (facial features, fingerprints and signature) must be digitally recorded. OAV registrants must present their Philippine passport or seaman’s book (in case of seafarers) at your nearest Philippine Embassy.

Other requirements include: a valid Philippine passport or in its absence, a Department of Foreign Affairs certification (as most employers of household service workers in the Middle East get their passports); an accomplished OAV registration/certification form (which can be downloaded from the Comelec website http://www.comelec.gov.ph/oav/downloadables/forms/registration.html )

Seafarers, who get to register and vote in posts where their ship may happen to be during the election period, also need to present a photocopy of Seaman's Book or proof of being a seafarer.

For Filipinos who retained or re-acquired their Filipino citizenship under Republic Act 9225 granting dual citizenship, they also need to present the original or certified true copy of the Order of Approval of Application.

Other questions could be directed at the Comelec's Committee on Overseas Absentee Voting at (632) 522 2251, (632) 521 2952, or (632) 523 9924; and at their website, www.comelec.gov.ph, as well as at the DFA Overseas Absentee Voting Secretariat at (632) 8330914 or (632) 832 8363; and at their website, www.dfa.gov.ph. The nearest Philippine embassy or consulate should also be able to provide more information.

Sunday, February 1, 2009 | posted in , , , , , | 0 comments [ More ]

Roxas: Crisis a time for gov't to undertake drastic changes

Liberal President Senator Mar Roxas yesterday said the Arroyo Administration must use the current global economic turmoil as a chance to reexamine its way of governance, or else plunge the country further down the abyss of socio-economic ruin.
“The crisis we are facing is huge. We still have time to prepare. The government has to own up to the magnitude of the crisis, to use it for catharsis, a drastic correction of the way it functions,” said Roxas during the 40th Anniversary Celebration of the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines (FINEX), in which he was guest speaker, in Makati.
He criticized the lack of transparency and accountability in the executive’s operations, which has led to great distrust among the populace for their leaders.
“Our people are getting the sense that no one is in charge. No one is on the driver’s seat. No one is steering and calibrating the course of our nation,” said Roxas, citing among other instances the recent failed peace agreement between the government and Bangsamoro representatives, as well as the Philippines failing the corruption control standards set by the United States’ Millennium Challenge Corp., falling from the 76th percentile two years ago to the 47th percentile this year.

“More than ever, we must spend properly and prudently. The government’s ability to use public spending to protect the vulnerable from greater misery, exploit opportunities in a downturn, and advance our further development despite the challenging environment will be a prime imperative,” he said.
Roxas has pushed for changes in the budget amounting to P100 billion that would direct government spending in the most effective manner to neutralize the worst of the economic crisis’ worst effects. For the Ilonggo senator, the budget should focus on food security, job security, and health and education services, as well as strengthening of the country’s financial institutions.
“Any strategy will be useless, though, if our government fails to regain the trust of the people, because more than anything else, this global crisis is above all a crisis of confidence in institutions,” he said.

“The impact of the turmoil will not be isolated to the stock or financial markets. It is likely to have real effects: on the demand for our exports of goods and services, on the flow of foreign direct investments and OFW remittances, and ultimately, on jobs and household incomes,” he said, noting that the US was still the number one market for Philippine imports and business process outsourcing services, and the top source of remittances of OFWs.
Roxas has also filed bills for a temporary increase in protection of bank deposits, a moratorium on home foreclosures and early withdrawal penalties for bank accounts of a five-year term or less, and a three-year income tax credit program for employers hiring new regular or permanent employees.

Friday, October 24, 2008 | posted in , , , , , | 0 comments [ More ]

Roxas: Documentary stamp tax paid by OFWs should fund services, needs

Sen. Mar Roxas rallied overseas Filipino workers and their families to help pressure the government into setting aside a special fund for lawyers and other assistance using funds collected from a tax imposed on OFW remittances.

Roxas, chairman of the Senate committee on trade and commerce, said the government could set aside its collections from its 0.15% documentary stamp tax (DST) estimated at a billion pesos every year to provide legal and other services to protect our OFWs, especially for hiring lawyers for OFWs imprisoned or facing court cases abroad.
“Para sa akin, dapat ilagay ang nakolektang DST sa special fund para sa Overseas Workers Welfare Administration , para lamang sa pangangailangan ninyong mga OFW,” he said. “Ang sagot dito dapat ay isang sistema na sisiguruhin na kahit saan mag-landing ang mga OFWs natin, may matatawagan sila na maasahan pag magka-problema sila.”

“Pero mas maganda para sa mga OFWs na tanggalin na ang DST na ito,” said Roxas, author of Senate Bill No. 2479 that seeks the removal of the documentary stamp tax on OFW remittances.

“Kung mapupunta lang ang pera sa kung saan-saan sa gobyerno, mas mabuti pang maiwan na lang ito sa kamay at bulsa ng mga pamilya na siyang tatanggap nitong pera,” he said in a speech before Migrante International, a group representing OFWs and their families.
Roxas said the government should also consider using the money from the DST on OFW remittances to help OFW families cope with skyrocketing prices of food and transport.
“Tutal ay pera naman ninyo ito, kayo rin dapat ang makikinabang dito. Hindi dapat ito mapunta sa mga ma-anomalyang transaksyon na pinapasukan ng gobyerno,” he added.
OFWs remitted a total of $14.7 billion in 2007 through the banking system. If remittances sent through unofficial channels are calculated, the estimated total remittances last year reached at least $16 billion, from which the government collected roughly $22 million or P1 billion in 0.15% documentary stamp tax (DST).

Roxas has actively sought additional protection and assistance to OFWs. In the 2008 budget, he pushed for a P50-million budget for the DoLE’s OFW Social Reintegration program, which Malacanang has yet to release to the Department of labor and Employment. The program provides “balikbayan” OFWs with sufficient knowledge of how to use their savings as well as investment opportunities and other forms of reintegration assistance.

Monday, September 22, 2008 | posted in , , , , | 0 comments [ More ]

Roxas sought P500M budget realignment for cheaper medicines; but proposed add'l 2008 DOH budget not acted on

Liberal President Senator Mar Roxas revealed last Sunday he sought to realign P500 million from the proposed 2008 national budget to make available cheaper medicines to the public under a law that he authored, but Congress' conference committee did not act on it.

The Ilonggo senator said he wrote Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, Senate Finance Committee Chairman, to consider realigning P500 million from the P3-billion Kilos Asenso Fund as additional budget for the Department of Health's Medicine Procurement Program under the Cheaper Medicines Act.

As primary author of that law, Roxas sought to make available to Filipinos cheap medicines that are normally sold here at high prices by local and foreign drug companies.
"Ang sagot natin sana sa mataas na presyo ng gamot dito sa atin ay itong batas na itinulak ko sa Kongreso, at hiniling ko na bigyan ng dagdag na P500 milyon ang budget ng DOH para sa implementasyon nito."
He said the conference committee, however, only approved his recommendation that P50 million be allotted as budget for the reintegration of returning OFWs under the Social Protection and Welfare Program of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and another P10 million for the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) for the purchase of laboratory equipment for the implementation of the cheaper medicines law.

Roxas said he is releasing this information ahead of an expected showdown Monday on senatorial budget insertions arising from allegations of Senator Panfilo Lacson that Senate President Manuel Villar engineered an insertion in the GAA for a "road to nowhere."

"I requested realignments in the 2008 budget for what I believed are for the public interest and I hope everybody bare their own requests so this won't turn into a game of deception and obfuscation," he said.
He added that his request was also approved for P90 million under the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for the widening and improvement of the heavily congested Manila-Cavite Road.

He said the P90 million request was made under the representation of Cavite Rep. Joseph Emilio Abaya, who sought the appropriation to address mounting complaints from Cavite's motorists of massive daily traffic congestion to and from Manila especially during the rush hour.

"This is a project to widen the road that is a major route not only for Cavite's beleaguered motorists and commuters, but also for cargo trucks transporting export products from the Cavite Export Processing Zone to Manila for shipment," he said.

Roxas said: "The national budget involves the people's hard-earned money that they entrusted to the government through taxes, so they ought to know whether these are being spent for their benefit or only for the benefit of a few."
He said the Senate Finance Committee, and thereafter the bicameral conference committee, approved his proposed amendment to the 2008 GAA for the allotment of P50 million for the DOLE's OFW social integration program.

"Daan-libong mga kababayan nating OFW ang bumabalik dito sa Pilipinas na walang trabaho o hindi alam kung paano gagamitin ang kinita nila. Kaya kasama ito sa programa na inaprubahan ng Kongreso sa ilalim ng aking panukala. Hindi lang po natin gustong makabalik nang ligtas ang ating mga OFWs kundi siguruhin din na magiging maayos din ang kanilang buhay sa pag-uwi nila," he said.
Under this program, the National Reintegration Center for OFWs of the DOLE will provide counseling, job matching services and skills training and development for returning OFWs, Roxas noted. He also said that DOLE had been pushing for this project for a long time and it was only funded this year.

Roxas said the P10 million for the DOH was allotted for the purchase of laboratory equipment for BFAD in preparation for the full implementation of the Cheaper Medicines Act.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008 | posted in , , , , , , , , , , | 1 comments [ More ]

Senator Roxas seeks exemption of OFWs from documentary stamp taxes

Now here’s good news for Overseas Filipino workers and their families, who are burdened by a weaker United States dollar and rising costs of goods.

Senator Mar Roxas is seeking to remove the documentary stamp tax from remittances of OFWs, to give them greater purchasing power amid this time of skyrocketing prices of food and transport.

At present, for every remittance an OFW makes, a DST of 0.15% is collected by the government. “To some, the imposition may be minuscule and insignificant. But to OFWs and their families, such imposition becomes another financial burden,” said Roxas, author of Senate Bill No. 2479, that removes the DST on OFW remittances.

He noted how at present, market prices of basic commodities have increased significantly, with chicken already at P120 per kilo, beef brisket at P180 per kilo, pork liempo at P170 per kilo, and bangus and tilapia at P80-P90 per kilo, all of which have increased by an average of P10 compared to the prices in 2007.
“Every peso saved can make a big difference for the average Filipino family. Removing the DST from OFW remittances can enable the families of overseas workers buy additional food or save this amount for other purposes,” Roxas said.
The Liberal Party President noted that OFWs remitted $14.7 billion in 2007, higher than the $12.8 billion remitted in 2006. This number is seen to rise further this year to over $16 billion, in part due to the weakening of the United States dollar. Ironically, a weaker dollar has also led to less purchasing power of OFWs’ money when their earnings are spent locally. The Philippine peso appreciated from P56:$1 in 2006 to P40:$1 earlier this year, and is now at P44.23:$1.
“As if high prices of oil and rice were not enough, even the currency that our OFWs earn in has diminished in value. We need to give these ‘new heroes’ the support that they need and deserve, understanding their great contribution to our economy,” he said.
Roxas’ bill amends Sec. 181 of the Tax Reform Act of 1997, on the imposition of DST, by exempting from DST payment money transfers made abroad by OFWs.

Sunday, July 27, 2008 | posted in , , , , , | 3 comments [ More ]

Roxas: $500M RP bond offer aggravates OFW plight

Senator Mar Roxas today cautioned government fiscal managers regarding the recent floatation of $500 million in sovereign bonds, saying this aggravates the plight of Overseas Filipino Workers and exporters in light of the strengthening peso versus the dollar.

He called on the government to exercise greater prudence in foreign borrowings and to look more carefully into the effect of such moves on the peso-dollar exchange rate, and consequently, on OFWs, exporters, business process outsourcing and the tourism industry.

“We are shooting ourselves on the foot by bringing in more dollars into the system, which is already flooded by dollars,” he said.

“We are no longer in ‘fiscal crisis’ mode and local interest rates are at an all time low; why do we still have to borrow in dollars?” he asked.

Roxas earlier proposed that in order to help OFWs and other dollar-earners—who are now earning 20% less in pesos compared to the previous year—the government should instead borrow in pesos than in dollars to roll-over or amortize its existing debt.

The Finance department responded by announcing that it would increase peso borrowings by P20 billion and decrease foreign borrowings by the same amount, which Roxas described as “not enough.”

“Kung ang remittances ng ating 8 bilyong OFW kada taon ay $12 bilyon, $1,500 ang tinatanggap ng bawat OFW. Kung noong nakaraang taon ay P76,500 ang tinatanggap at ginagastos ng mga pamilyang may OFW, ngayon ay P61,500 na lang ito, bawas ng P15,000 na maaaring ipambayad sa matrikula ng isang anak o ng kuryente sa isang buong taon,” he stressed.

Saturday, February 2, 2008 | posted in , , , , | 0 comments [ More ]

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