Senator Raffy Tulfo is proposing to require overseas Filipino workers to undergo pregnancy tests a day before their departure to avoid any untoward incidents to happen during their deployment.
Tulfo wanted to learn a lesson from the case of Jovelyn Tang Andres who committed suicide in Saudi Arabia. The OFW was reportedly forced to abort her baby and was subjected to maltreatment by her employers and recruiters.
“Sampahan ng kasong kriminal dahil sa kanila ay may buhay na nagbuwis, pinapakain at nilalagyan ng gamot na pampalaglag hanggang sa nalaglag ang fetus. Binenta si Jovelyn paulit-ulit, na despair, nagpakamatay,” Tulfo said during the Senate Committee on Migrant Workers.
Department of Migrant Workers Secretary Susan Toots Ople said that they will talk to their Saudi counterparts regarding the pregnancy kit proposal.
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In the same hearing, Ople wants to criminalizethe practice of using agents by some recruitment agencies to recruit potential overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
Ople made the proposal during the Senate Committee on Migrant Workers hearing on Wednesday.
Tulfo also revealed in the hearing that Jovelyn was recruited by an agent identified as Emma Fernandez.
Ople said only local agencies are allowed to recruit employees.
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“Illegal recruiter siya una dahil hindi siya empleyado ng licensed agencies. Pangalawa, malamang commisison-based so baka bawat nirerecruit niya sa probinsya may practice po na isa yan sa pinaka-source kung bakit ang dami ng welfare cases natin,” she said.
“Kasi ang unang naglalaho yung ahente pag nakuha na niya na commision niya wala na.
Baka dapat i-criminalize na ang paggamit ng ahente bilang extension ng recruitment agencies,” Ople added.
Tulfo vowed to look into the proposal but also push for the filing of cases against the officials of the manpower agencies involved in Jovelyn’s case.
