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| Labatt Jalilo dela Torre accept the petition calling for the scrapping of OWF compulsory insurance (Photo by Migrante Hong Kong) |
By The SUN
Workers led by the United Filipinos in Hong
Kong (Unifil-Migrante HK) marched to the Philippine Overseas Labor
Office in Wanchai on Jan 17 to call for the scrapping of the mandatory insurance
that the government plans to impose on all OFWs.
The marchers tried to get Labor Attache Jalilo dela Torre’s
position on the issue, but he said he wouldn’t be drawn to make a stand “at
baka ako’y matapon na naman kung saan”.
He was referring to his six-month recall to the home office
last year, which was reversed only after Filipino community leaders rallied to
get him returned to Hong Kong .
But Labatt Dela Torre assured the protesters that their
sentiments would be relayed to Philippine Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III.
Unifil chairwoman Dolores Balladares said the new exaction
would be in addition to the insurance cover that overseas workers are required
to pay for, such as Social Security System, Pag-IBIG, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration
and PhilHealth.
“Patung-patong na ang binabayaran nating mga insurance, at
daradagan pa ng compulsory OFW insurance,” Balladares said before more than 100
workers who joined the march from Chater
Road
She said the additional fee that is supposed to be charged
to the employers could potentially increase friction between them and the
workers, who might just end up losing their jobs.
Labatt Dela Torre confirmed during a meeting at the Consulate last November that the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration had agreed to impose the mandatory insurance on every two-year work contract, but the implementing rules were not yet ready.
The insurance premium that is currently collected only from
first-time OFWs, costs US$144, or $1,200
for every land-based worker.
Balladares said more than 150 OFW groups had already signed
a petition for the dumping of the insurance plan as of Jan 17 and that support
was growing.
The POEA Board issued Resolution No 4 in August last year
which requires “principals” (employers or recruitment agents) to pay for the
insurance coverage of both new and rehired OFWs.
The certificate of insurance will be among the requirements OFWs
must submit before they could be documented by the POEA.
Previously, Republic Act 8042 provided that only agency-hired
OFWs leaving the country for the first time, should be covered by mandatory
insurance.
At the rally, Labatt Dela Torre took the opportunity to
explain why the equally controversial mandatory pre-employment health check he
had initiated had to be recalled.
He said the mandatory health check-up was prompted by
alarming findings of the POLO’s ongoing “Project Health-Wise” that the diabetes
rate among the Filipino community in Hong Kong is greater than the national
rate in the Philippines
“Na-alarm kami and we thought that this might be the best
way to push the promotion of the health evaluation. Upon reflection and
consulting with the various community groups dito sa Hong
Kong , nakita namin na nangangamba yung ibang mga workers na baka
gamitin ito ng mga employers na reason for not renewing or terminating so many,”
Labatt Dela Torre said.
“We appreciate the psychology behind the fear, so, minarapat
natin na iatras muna but ipapagpatuloy natin yung ating Project Health-Wise and
look for a way na i-promote maybe through a voluntary or a mandatory
undertaking from employers na bigyan nila ang ating workers ng pagkakataon na
lumabas during the right time para makapag-undergo ng medical checkup.”
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