A non-government organization catering to migrant workers has urged legislators to enact a law against Overseas Filipino Workers who abandoned their families in the country.
The Mindanao Migrants Center for Empowering Actions Inc. (MMCEAI) called on lawmakers to pass a legislation that would run after OFWs, and would ensure that OFWs would face charges in the country where they work for abandoning their families.
The call was among the recommendations of MMCEAI based on its research findings in 2009 on the State of Abandoned Families of OFWs in Davao Region.
MMCEAI executive director Inorisa Sialana-Elento raised the concern on the increasing cases of abandoned wives, husbands and children not only in the view of physical separation but also in the perspective of economic neglect.
In Davao City, Elento told the local media here that MMCEAI has catered to 55 cases of abandoned families from the 65 cases documented by the city government’s Integrated Gender and Development Division (IGDD).
She said only 12 cases were filed to court, mostly concerning charges on multiple marriages, economic abuse such as non-remittance of earnings and intermittent support, and child custody.
The other forms of abandonment include non-communication, loss of care and eventual disappearance, she added.
Elento said most of the cases handled involved abandoning parties who work as seafarers and domestic helpers in countries such as United States of America, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia, among others.
The abandoned members of the family, she said, are as young as two years old and the eldest in age is 50 years old.
While MMCEAI has recognized the government’s adoption of positive measures in assisting and protecting migrant workers, it brought up other proposals to address the distressing plight of the abandoned families of OFWs.
MMCEAI urged for the review and amendment of Republic Act No. 8042 or Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995 that would provide favorable terms to abandoned families of OFWs.
It urged the government to execute the processing of remittances to ensure that allowances will directly be sent to children and direct family.
The Department of Foreign Affairs was also called to lead in the handling of cases against OFWs and to facilitate the tracking down of missing OFWs.
MMCEAI also looked forward to the local government of Davao City to enact a local ordinance that would ensure full assistance such as psychosocial interventions and medical needs and protection for families abandoned by OFWs.
Elento raised the proposals from MMCEAI’s briefing paper on the state of abandoned families on Friday during a press conference as among the activities in observance of the International Day of Migrants on December 18.
MMCEAI has been providing free counseling and psychosocial services for abandoned families and assisting returning migrants and their families as well as communities for livelihood opportunities.
The NGO has also organized Anak OFWs groups in schools and communities. [PIA 11/CARINA L. CAYON]
