Pope says gov’t should
promote local jobs

BY GERARD NAVAL

POPE Benedict XVI has spoken against the labor export policy of the Arroyo government, saying it should instead promote local job opportunities.

In remarks at the welcome for new Ambassador Cristina Ponce-Enrile, the Pope said the Philippine government must prioritize local job generation to minimize the migration of its citizens to work in foreign lands.

The Pope said the thought of families being separated by the need of breadwinners to leave the country could lead to a breakdown of morals.

The Pope’s statement came at the time when the Philippines was hosting the second Global Forum on Migration and Development which ended yesterday.

Workers’ groups have said the high-level meet serves to advance the labor export policy of the government which portrays overseas workers as commodities.

At the opening of the forum, President Arroyo called on countries that have yet to ratify the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families to do so, especially in the light of the global economic crunch.

Arroyo said it is unfortunate that despite growing migration, "countries are less equipped often to protect their people abroad" especially in times of trouble.

She said the Philippines is ready to champion the cause of migrant workers by establishing one of the "best regulated expatriate workers programs," from pre-departure orientations and training to post-employment reintegration and trainings to the strengthening of migrant workers protection especially against illegal "domestic recruiters and overseas employers, agents and officials, and protection from physical harm."

To further ensure the protection of overseas workers, the President created the nine-man Presidential Anti-Illegal Recruitment Task Force chaired by Vice President Noli de Castro.

Arroyo, issuing Executive Order No. 759 last October 23, also named as vice chairman the Bureau of Immigration commissioner and as members the secretaries of Foreign Affairs, Justice, and Labor and Employment.

Also tapped as members are the head of the police’ Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-Anti Transnational Division, the director of the National Bureau of Investigation, the administrator of the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency and general manager of the Manila International Airport Authority.

Initial funding for the Task Force will be sourced from the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission but other agencies involve in the campaign against illegal recruitment are authorized to allocate their existing funds when necessary.

The EO said it is important to create such a task force as the problem of illegal recruitment is serious, persistent and "has already reached alarming proportion as to cause public concern."

"It is of critical importance that the State safeguards public interest and protect the Filipino worker form losing their hard earned money and property to unscrupulous recruiters and syndicates, and save the government from incurring expenses due to repatriation of victims of illegal recruitment," it said.