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| New Labor Attache Mel Dizon pays courtesy call on Consul General Raly Tejada before buckling down to work |
If you think only OFWs flying to Hong
Kong are required to sign and submit a declaration that they are
aware of the coronavirus risk before they can fly out, here’s what the new Philippine
labor attaché says about his pre-departure experience.
Labatt Melchor B. Dizon said during an interview on his
first day at work on Sunday, Feb 23, that he himself was asked for his
declaration form at the immigration counter of the Ninoy Aquino
International Airport
He said there were no exemptions for diplomats like him and
his papers were checked by the officer to find out if he was indeed allowed to
travel.
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Labatt Dizon said he personally felt the impact of the
epidemic that began in Wuhan City in China
when he could not leave Manila soon after
receiving his visa in the first week of February because he was overtaken by
the travel ban to Hong Kong .
“Noong nagkaroon ng partial lifting, doon lang nakasama ang
diplomats at kami nga hinihingian din…tinitingnan nga kung kami ay talagang
authorized na mag-travel. Minsan nga ay hinihingian pa rin kami ng
declaration,” he said.
“Buti na lang dala-dala ko lahat ng documents, ang
resolution pa ng Interagency (Task force on Emerging Infectious Diseases),
which is the basis ng aming exemption,” he said.
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He dismissed reports that the declaration form that all
overseas Filipino workers must accomplish before being allowed to fly to Hong
Kong and Macau must be notarized and approved
by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA).
“Actually, hindi naman kailangan ang notarized, hindi naman
kailangang magbayad… Kasi kapag sa POEA ang nag-notarize, wala namang bayad
iyon. Gusto lang nilang pumunta roon para makita na sila ang nag-declare,” he said’
He said it was the Interagency Task Force’s decision to
require the declaration, in which a departing worker states he is aware of the coronavirus
epidemic in his destination. He described the declaration as a “safeguard” for
the partial lifting of the ban.
“Pero hindi ibig sabihin niyon ay wini-waive na ng
government ang kanilang responsibility, kasi…talagang tutulungan ng gobyerno
ang ating mga kababayan because that is our responsibility,” Labatt Dizon
said.
The labor official received his marching orders to come to
Hong Kong around November last year while he was the labor attaché in Greece
As the top labor representative in Athens ,
his jurisdictions covered the whole of Greece
with some 20,000 Filipino workers, and the Greek half of Cyprus
He said he conducted outreach missions for Filipinos in Cyprus
Labatt Dizon buckled down to work on his first day in
office.
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| Congen says he also briefed Labatt on the Consulate's priorities |
After a courtesy call and lunch with Consul General Raly
Tejada, who heads the Philippine mission in Hong Kong ,
he toured and observed activities in Polo and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration.
Congen Tejada later told The SUN that Labatt Dizon is
“surely capable and experienced. An asset to us all.”
Labatt Dizon also spent some time helping Assistant Labor
Attaché Tony Villafuerte clear workers’ contracts piling up on the latter’s
desk then squeezed in this interview before meeting with the Polo/OWWA staff.
He said his visit to PCG coincided with a meeting presided
over by Congen Tejada to update officers on the latest developments in the Hong Kong contagion, and touched on the case of OFWs still
stranded in the country.
He said he had no qualms about taking up his new post at
this inauspicious time when Hong Kong is
reeling from the new coronavirus infection.
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