Press Releases

'Reintegration is the crying need of OFWs' - GMA

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has recognized the need to realign government programs for OFWs to focus on the long-term goal of reintegrating them into their communities in the country. During their courtesy call at Malacanang Palace on April 18, migrant civil society advocates were assured by President Arroyo that she would endorse to concerned government agencies the prioritization of a reintegration program for Filipinos working abroad. "Reintegration is the crying need of OFWs," President Arroyo told the migrant groups led by BaliKaBayani Foundation Inc and the Economic Resource Center for Overseas Filipinos. Villy Cabuag reports for the OFW Journalism Consortium. Full story

Comprehensive OFW Reintegration Program
Network formed to prepare 'heroes' for socio-economic reintegration

Local non-government organizations working for the welfare of migrant workers say that majority of these so-called modern economic heroes are unable to save and prepare economically for their return home. Often, the migrant worker returnee is in the same economic condition as when he left, forcing him to leave once again. It is good news therefore that at the First National Conference on OFW Reintegration held in Manila on April 12 to 13, some 146 delegates representing government institutions and local and international civil society groups agreed to draw up a Comprehensive OFW Reintegration Program (CORP) to "address the problems brought by migration and to maximize its potentials for development." Alfred A. Araya Jr. of CyberDyaryo contributes this story for the OFW Journalism Consortium. Full story

OFWs as foreign investors
Conference takes a new look at economic power of OFWs

The government has missed out on developing Filipino migrants as "foreign investors" who bring in foreign investments. This is according to rural banker Andres Panganiban, keynote speaker at the International Conference on Identifying Economic Linkages Between Overseas Filipinos and the Rural Communities in the Philippines, held April 10 to 12 in Davao City. In his speech entitled "Overseas Filipino Investments for the Development of Local Economies", Panganiban said, "The productive use of remittances during and after migration is a strategic issue for the (overseas Filipino workers) and their families, for support organizations, and the governments of both labor sending and receiving countries. The challenge now is how to direct the utilization of remittances towards productive use." Jeremaiah Opiniano reports for the OFW Journalism Consortium. Full story

OFWs, families, government are unprepared
NGO calls for gov't to address trauma of forced OFW repatriation

Last year, the Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs of the Department of Foreign Affairs handled 369 cases of repatriates who are returned home for a variety of causes, from release from detention to mental distress. "No one, not the OFW, not their families, not even government, is prepared for repatriation, especially after the migrant worker lands on our soil," said Mel Nuqui, president of Philippine Migrants Rights Watch. Nuqui is calling on the Arroyo administration to look into the whole repatriation process to include the worker's rehabilitation and reintegration after he or she is brought back to the country. Dennis Estopace reports for the OFW Journalism Consortium. Full story

Absentee voting
The law will be passed but it won't ease migrants' pains

While migrant civil society advocates have lambasted legislators for the delayed passage of the absentee voting bill despite President Arroyo's certification, Senator Edgardo Angara said in a forum by the Philippine Migrants' Rights Watch that he is trying to get more support in Congress for the bill. Nevertheless, as columnist Rene Bas of the OFW Journalism Consortium thinks, the law will not ease the pains of Filipino migrants despite legislators' promise to have the bill passed by June 6. Full story

(All articles were published in CyberDyaryo. Refer to www.cyberdyaryo.com)

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