SIXTY-five OFW groups representing more than
130,000 Filipinos toiling in Hong Kong as domestics and
professionals have formed a coalition calling on the government
to rescind a memorandum requiring foreign employers to pay
$8,000 in fees to directly hire Filipino workers.
The Philippine Overseas Employment
Administration requires foreign employers seeking to hire OFWs
to pay a $5,000 repatriation bond to guarantee the repatriation
of the worker or of his remains in the event of death, and a
$3,000 performance bond to guarantee payment of salaries.
The new coalition is called SKRAP MC-04, or
Samahan Laban sa Katiwalin ng mga Recruitment Agencies at
Patakarang MC-04 (Society against Abuses of Recruitment Agencies
and the MC-04 Policy).
SKRAP MC-04 said it expects thousands of OFWs
to join the coalition’s protest action on Sunday at the Harcourt
Garden near the building that houses the Philippine consulate
general.
The 65 groups composing SCRAP MC-04 include
eight alliances, eight Church-based associations, three union
chapters, and 44 regional and other types of organizations, said
Dolores Balladares, chair of the United Filipinos in Hong Kong (Unifil),
one of the movers of the coalition.
She said the coalition is also mounting
protests on February 24 and March 9.
Balladares said the coalition is planning to
approach employers and local groups in Hong Kong to support
their campaign.
Groups forming the coalition are Abra Migrant
Workers Welfare Association, Abra Tinguian Ilocano Society,
Abuyog Migrant’s Association, Alay Kapwa Filipino Catholic
Group, Alimudian Iloilo Association, Annak Ti Maeng Association,
Association of Concerned Filipinos, Balikatan sa Kaunlaran-Hong
Kong Council, Balikatan Sa Kaunlaran-Kowloon New Territory,
Balunga Overseas Workers Association.
Balungao Overseas Welfare Organization,
Bangued Hong Kong Organization, Binalonan Migrant Workers
Association, Bontoc Migrant Workers Organization, Bucay Migrant
Association, Bucloc Hong Kong Organization, Consolidated
Filipino Community Brigade, Candonians Ilocos Sur, Cordillera
Alliance, CUYAPO Association, Evangelization Family.
Filipino Community Services and Information
Network, Filipino Catholic Group-Stanley, Filipino Friends Hong
Kong, Filipino Migrant Workers Union, Filipino Migrants
Association, Filipino Women Migrant Workers Association, Free
Believers, Friends of Bethune House, Gabriela Hong Kong Bank,
Gabriela Lytleton, Gabriela Yuen Long.
Helpers of Islam Group, Hingyon Association, Hong Kong
Villasinian, Ifugao Association, Ikmen Valley Organization (Boliney),
Januiaynon Association Hong Kong, Kalinga Province Workers
Association-Hong Kong, Langiden Overseas Workers Association,
Lagawe Association, Leyte Samar Association, Licuan Hong Kong
Association, Mabama Organization Hong Kong. – Anthony Ian
Cruz
