OFW party-list group Representative Marissa Magsino questioned the Bureau of Immigration over incidents of off-loading of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
During the budget deliberations of the Justice Department for 2024, Magsino said that in 2022, 32,404 Filipino passengers have been off-loaded but only 472 have been confirmed as victims of human trafficking.
“This discrepancy has led some sectors to question the effectiveness of the departure screening guidelines and propose that travel expenses and damages incurred due to unwarranted off-loading should be reimbursed,” Magsino said.
Magsino also said that she took note of proposals for the BI to pay for the expenses and damages due to the offloading incident.
“The reason behind the proposal is to remind immigration officers to exercise their authority with due diligence, and not arbitrarily, for it will also hurt them ultimately. I thus urge the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to make a solemn commitment to fairly and carefully use its authority, particularly in the case of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), otherwise we will actively pursue the realization of the proposal in collaboration with our counterparts in the Senate,” Magsino stated.
Magsino also said that there should be a careful review of the departure guidelines.
“I firmly believe that the ongoing review of the revised guidelines should prioritize the enhancement of information dissemination and education. Although while these aspects are undeniably crucial, I also find it essential to raise a fundamental question: Why does the current review seem to overlook the delicate balance between individual constitutional rights and national security concerns?” she added.
