Senator Alan Peter Cayetano on Monday emphasized the need for substantial improvements in the management and support systems for workers abroad to better protect Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).
The senator issued this call as the Senate Committee on Migrant Workers on August 12 deliberated on key OFW issues, including the tragic death of OFW Jelyn del Coro Aguson in Saudi Arabia and discussions on the OFW Welfare Monitoring System (OWMS), which aims to combat illegal recruitment and scams.
As a former Foreign Affairs Secretary, Cayetano has consistently stressed the need for strong measures against mechanisms that often exploit vulnerable workers.
“When people get desperate or are into an economic crisis, there would be many recruiters or employers duping those vulnerable, or in countries that have troublesome histories with the rights of migrant workers, we see them getting abused,” the senator said in an earlier statement.
In a previous Committee on Migrant Workers hearing, Cayetano advocated for improved hiring, employment, and deployment processes to tackle these illegal schemes.
Last week, the senator also emphasized how scamming is becoming a “worldwide trend,” stressing that the government should “think the way scammers think and stay one step ahead of them.”
Monday’s hearing aligned with Cayetano’s recommendations, featuring several proposals to strengthen monitoring, communication, and assistance mechanisms to better serve the substantial OFW population, particularly in the Middle East.
These also include shared responsibility for recruitment agencies, rigorous screening of foreign employers, comprehensive pre-engagement seminars, adequate welfare support, and regular status reporting.
Cayetano, who was the principal author of the law that created the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), said these mechanisms should reflect the government’s commitment to improve the standard of support and protection for OFWs.
He said the government should ensure the contributions of the country’s “modern day heroes” to the global workforce are met with the respect and care they deserve.
“They sacrifice so much to provide for their families and contribute to our national economy. We owe it to them to ensure that they are protected and well cared for,” Cayetano said.