Posted by Pahayag ng Migrante
Rome, Italy 19032014
Migrante
Sectoral Party
PRESS RELEASE
Overseas Filipino workers (OFWS) are
up in arms against a proposed bill in Congress resurrecting a notorious
Marcos-imposed “forced remittance” decree and reinforcing punitive provisions
on remittances in the Labor Code.
The partylist OFW Family recently
passed House Bill No. 3576, or “An Act Authorizing Ambassadors, Consul
Generals, Chiefs of Missions or Charge d’ Affairs to order and direct an
overseas Filipino workers (OFW) to send support to his or her legal dependents
as required by existing laws”.
HB 3576 likewise, private recruitment agencies
are authorized to facilitate and “assist OFWs in the remittance of theirequires all land-based and sea-based OFWs to send in regular remittances through the “Philippine banking system or any authorized credit unions, money transfer operators or through the postal mail” or else suffer penalties.r
foreign exchange earnings”.
Section 5 of the HB 3576 further
directs PH authorities abroad“to withhold the renewal or approval of the passport
of an erring OFW unless proof of compliance of the remittance requirement” is
submitted.
According to Connie Bragas-Regalado,
chairperson of Migrante Sectoral Party, HB 3576 is a resurrection of Marcos’
draconian Executive Order 857 which was protested widely by OFWs around the
world. “Nag-aala-Marcos itong si Rep. Seneres, shame on him for once
again shoving this down our throats. It is a blast from the past and a slap in
the face of OFWs around the world who are already knee-deep in debt and barely
coping with the global economic crisis.”
Marcos’ EO 857 compelled OFWs to
remit 50-70% of their total monthly earnings. The decree also prohibited the
use of non-banking channels such as the “padala” system, and restricted OFWs to
remit “only through government-authorized channels”. Those who failed to do so
faced punitive acts such as losing their rights to renew their contracts and
passports, thus effectively banning OFWs from eligibly working overseas.
EO 857 effectively superceded and
fortified Article 22 of the Labor Code stipulating a mandatory remittance of
foreign exchange earnings for OFWs.
Double-faced
Seneres
Bragas-Regalado further criticized
Seneres for his “double-faced posturing”, recalling that Seneres was one of
those opposed to the same punitive measures when he was commissioner of the
National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC).
“We were in the same meeting, in the
same congressional hearing years ago, asking for the review of the mandatory
remittance and its punitive provisions in the Labor Code. Why the change of
heart now? Is his partylist connected to big remittance centers or recruitment
agencies? These agencies will solely stand to benefit from this forced
remittance bill, not OFWs and their families,” she said.
In 1985, the punitive provisions in
the Labor Code were repealed following widespread protests from OFWs and their
families worldwide. On May 1, 1985, Marcos was forced to issue EO 1021,
abolishing the punitive provisions of EO 857 and declaring the “padala” system
legal. The OFW movement against forced remittances gave birth to the formation
of the United Filipinos in Hong Kong (UNIFIL) from its precursor United
Filipino Against Forced Remittance (UNFARE).
Money-making
scheme
Bragas-Regalado said that Seneres’
house bill clearly manifests “how he and his partylist are obviously not in
tune with the interests of OFWs”. “It is stupid, unnecessary and obviously just
another money-making scheme. It was precisely the previous forced remittance
law that further drove OFWs in deeper debt. It gave rise to the proliferation
of loansharks and lending institutions that fed on the desperation of OFWs. Sagad-sa-buto
ang pangungutang ng mga OFW nang ipatupad ang batas na iyon. Laluna
na ngayong ang sitwasyon ng mga OFW ay baon na nga sa utang bago pa man
makarating sa ibang bansa.”
She said that Seneres should stop
portraying himself as a “representative” of OFWs. “Clearly and certainly, he
and his partylist do not have OFWs’ interests and welfare at heart. It is more
evident now that Seneres is toeing the line of the BS Aquino regime in
institutionalizing state exactions and more taxes on OFWs to salvage the ailing
economy. Like Marcos, BS Aquino is now banking on revenue from OFW remittances
to cope with alarming fiscal deficits and huge external debt, alongside the
government’s incapacitiy to generate much-needed income due to massive
corruption and misgovernance.”
Bragas-Regalado said that they are
prepared to oppose HB 3576 in Congress and in the streets. “We were able to
scrap the law before. We can do it again. Let this serve as a warning to all
proponents and masterminds of this bill.”
- See more at: http://davaotoday.com/main/2014/03/19/ofws-slam-solon-resurrecting-marcos-decree-forced-remittance/#sthash.eDBH9BvM.dpuf
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