By The SUN
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| Participants and speakers gather at the end of the seminar for a photo-op. Speakers included from left, Balladares, Mandap, Villar, Tellez and Clarin |
The online support group, Domestic Workers Corner, may have
been in existence for just two years, but it has already done a lot to reach
out and provide comfort and help to distressed Filipino migrant workers in Hong Kong .
For its second anniversary offering, DWC led by its founder
Rodelia P. Villar, outdid itself by gathering about 200 members for a day-long
rights seminar at the Philippine Overseas Labor Office on Sept 14, a statutory
holiday.
Invited to speak at the event were key officers and
representatives from the Consulate, NGOs like the Mission
DWC members, most of whom are new in Hong
Kong , were in rapt attention as speaker after speaker gave
first-hand information on the various services they can avail of, and vital
issues that concern them.
Among the highlights was the briefing given by the Mission
Tellez advised the audience to say no when told by agencies
to borrow money from financing companies to pay them illegal fees, and report
to Polo on any such attempt by their agency to squeeze them.
Since no receipts are often given for these illegal
collections, she said it is important for the worker to keep a diary, and get
somebody to act as their witness, should it become necessary to file a
complaint against their agency.
Those who are already back in the Philippines
can still file a claim against their agency with the Philippine Overseas
Employment Administration in Manila
“Kung di ka binayaran ng suweldo at iba pang dapat mong
matanggap, puwede iyang singilin sa agency mo sa Pilipinas,” she said.
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| Tellez lectures on agency's illegal fee collection |
Dolores Balladares-Pelaez, chair of United Filipinos-Migrante
Hong Kong, appealed to the workers to extend support to the fight to raise their
minimum monthly salary to $5,894, saying this amount is based on actual study
on how much a “living wage” should be.
She also explained Unifil’s campaign for an 11-hour uninterrupted
rest for FDWs, and for their work contract to exclude certain areas of the
house such as the toilet, laundry or storage room, as unsuitable resting places
for them.
On the national level, Pelaez said Unifil is not against
OFWs paying monthly contributions to the Social Security System and other government
agencies like Philhealth and Pag-IBIG, but it should be voluntary, and not
mandatory.
Daisy Mandap, editor of The SUN, explained how the rights of
FDWs in Hong Kong have been curtailed over the years, starting from the
imposition of the 14-day rule for terminated workers, to the recent court
ruling denying them right of abode.
Mandap, who is a lawyer, also briefly touched on the
anti-government protests sweeping across Hong Kong ,
and why the proposed extradition bill sparked such widespread fear among its
citizens.
Earlier, SSS representative Lester Mata explained the
various benefits provided by the agency to its members, from sick and maternity
payouts to the monthly pension on their retirement.
Mata also said that while the government has made SSS
contributions mandatory for OFWs, they can still choose to pay only the lowest
monthly premium of less than Php1,000 instead of the maximum contribution of
more than Php2,400.
Raymond Ramos of Pag-IBIG also spoke of how OFWs can avail
of the various benefits given to members, including but not limited to a
low-interest housing loan. Those who invested in Pag-IBIG Fund’s MP2 savings
program, for example, earned far higher interest last year than those who put
their money in banks or other investment funds.
In the morning, Social Welfare Attache Bethy Dy discussed
the programs and services extended by the Department of Social Welfare to
distressed OFWs, particularly those who have problems with their spouses or the
children they left behind.
She also explained the benefits and help extended to solo
parents, and the rules concerning minors traveling abroad.
PathFinder’s Carmen Lam demonstrated, with help from the
NGO’s migrant ambassadors, what services can be availed of by pregnant domestic
workers, before and after giving birth in Hong Kong.
The message sent out was that, pregnant migrants should not
fear or be embarrassed to seek assistance as there are agencies like
PathFinders that can help ease the difficulty of giving birth in Hong Kong .
Welfare officer Marivic Clarin took the chance to speak
about the different services provided to OFWs by the Overseas Workers Welfare
Administration.
Clarin also assured that the rebates that OWWA has started
distributing to long-time members are based on an actuarial calculation of how
much the beneficiaries have paid in, and how much they should be getting in turn from
the Php1billion set aside for this purpose.
The rebates paid to those who have worked abroad for at
least 10 years and have paid their two-year OWWA membership at least five
times, have come under fire from many beneficiaries for being “too little, too
late.”
For their part, trainors from Card spoke on the importance of drawing up a monthly budget so migrants can avoid falling into the debt trap, the most widespread problem afflicting Filipino domestic workers in Hong Kong.
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| Villar wipes away tears as she views a surprise video tribute from her members |
The Card group also advised the participants to sign up for the NGO's free financial literacy and livelihood seminars so they can make their earnings work better for them and their family.
The most emotional part of the day came when DWC
administrators and other officers surprised Villar with a special tribute,
thanking her for help and patience in dealing with the various problems thrown
her way by members.
A teary-eyed Villar was presented by the officers with a
plaque, while she in turn handed out certificates to all those who took part in the successful event.
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